UNICEF Empowers Social Workers on Child Returnee Reintegration in Lagos

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has empowered social workers in Lagos State with the requisite skills to provide timely and age-appropriate services to children returnees for better reintegration into society.

The two-day training, which was held in the Sangotedo area of Lagos state, is designed to enhance the services for child migrants within the child protection systems in Lagos State.

The 28 child protection caregivers at the workshop included the Child Protection Network (CPN), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry of Youth and Social Development (MYSD) and the media.

Addressing the workshop, the Child Protection Specialist for UNICEF, Nkiru Maduechesi although highlighted the importance of applying the skills for the best interest of the child returnee, she said the role of the government is to support social welfare to reduce violence.

According to the child specialist, the government should invest in prevention through the social welfare system. 

She maintained that the best asset for any country is its human development. “The children you protect today would end up transforming Nigeria to be the best country in the world.

“But if we don’t protect them and then they don’t contribute, it means that our development cannot be sustainable beyond this generation.”

Maduechesi, therefore, called on the government to make an adequate budget allocation, ensure it is disbursed, and implementation monitored to see that the money goes to the right place to ensure that children who need protection or are sexually abused are protected and given justice.

She further advocated for the government at all levels to prioritise social services for children from the family units to the schools. 

The specialist also harped on the need for the government to support social welfare ministries and law enforcement agencies to ensure that violence against children is prevented or responded to adequately.

Meanwhile, to the social workers, Maduechesi described their duty as sacred, caring for people who can neither defend nor care for themselves. “It calls for ultimate dedication to duty and their professionality of the highest order. 

“They should look at it as what they have been called and assigned to do. They should handle it professionally with strict integrity and effectiveness,” she recommended.

She, however, reminded the stakeholders that these children returnees could suffer potential long-term mental health impacts if not properly handled. 

“The manners we talk and approach these children matters a lot. Give those who wish to travel an informed plan so that when they travel, they can live a dignified life. 

“Do follow-up even after reintegration to know how the child is doing. We want a dignified orderly migration. We want to better serve children,” says Maduechesi.

Speaking on the topic, Standard Operating Procedure/Family Tracing and Reunification (SOP/FTR), UNICEF Child Protection Specialist for Lagos Office, Mr Denis Onoise hinted that with the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) mantra, ‘Leave no one behind’, Onoise said even the child returnee should not be left behind. 

“We want to bring every child that needs protection within the child protection system in Nigeria, particularly now in Lagos state. 

“What necessitated it was that we needed to bring the stakeholders together to understand the key concept and also to have a shared vision on what they need to do, how they need to work together and then also professionalise the use of the CPIMS (Children Protection Information Management System),” he added. 

The two-day training addressed the situation of child returnees in Nigeria: prevalence, issues and challenges; strengthening case management in the context of child returnees within the Child Protection System like identification including child migrants in national data systems, assessments; service provision, follow-up and referrals. 

Other highlights include SOP on family tracing and reunification and its centrality for unaccompanied children returnees; an overview of available services for child returnees in Lagos State and programming for child returnees on the move at the state and community levels for the best interest of the child.