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Historically, the great majority of unaccompanied children were males over the age of 14. While older males still comprise the majority, in recent years, the share that are female and younger have both increased. Between 2012 and 2014, the share of unaccompanied children who are female has grown from 23 percent to 34 percent, and the share of children 12 and under has grown from 11 percent to 21 percent. In addition, in 2012 only one percent of children referred to us were ages five and under while in 2014 this number rose to three percent.
Most unaccompanied children arrive at the border between U.S. and Mexico, and when they do, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refers children to the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within 72 hours, except in exceptional circumstances, after determining that the child is an unaccompanied child.
When unaccompanied children are referred to ORR, they are cared for in one of a network of shelters while staff work to determine if they have appropriate sponsors with whom they can live while awaiting immigration proceedings. HHS funds shelters through grants to non-profit organizations. HHS currently funds shelters in 15 states, but the majority of shelters are within 250 miles of the Southern border. Upon arrival at a shelter, a child is provided with a complete medical examination within 48 hours. This examination includes a general medical screening, which is conducted by either a doctor or nurse practitioner. All children receive age appropriate care including vaccinations as well as screening for tuberculosis and certain other communicable diseases.
Soon after a child arrives, trained staff conduct an initial interview. This interview is used as a first round of HHS screening to determine whether the child may be a victim of abuse, a crime, or human trafficking. The screening also indicates if the child may have any immediate mental health needs. If a mental health concern is detected during this screening, such as a history of trauma or violence, additional screenings are completed by specially-trained mental health clinical staff or case managers with clinical experience. These screenings determine whether the child requires specialized services, such as a home study conducted by a grantee case worker, typically a social worker, prior to his or her release to a sponsor (if an appropriate sponsor is available). The screenings also determine whether the child is a potential victim of human trafficking and, therefore, eligible for the additional services and legal assistance available to certain trafficking victims in the United States.
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