Counterbalancing the integration policy for migrants through social work

Migration problems are mainly reduced unilaterally to problems that migrants cause in the guest society regarding housing, employment, education and health care. At the same time migration research often focuses on the same reduction: the living conditions of migrants in our society and ghettoizatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International social work 2016-03, Vol.59 (2), p.210-223
Main Authors: De Roo, Paul, Braeye, Sarah, De Moor, Alexandra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Borders
Children
Cooperation
Employment
Evidence-based practice
Foreigners
Health
Health care policy
Health education
Health problems
Health services
Housing
Immigration policy
Living conditions
Migrant workers
Migrants
Migration
Needs
Noncitizens
Punishment
School desegregation
Schools
Social integration
Social policy
Social work
Social workers
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Summary:Migration problems are mainly reduced unilaterally to problems that migrants cause in the guest society regarding housing, employment, education and health care. At the same time migration research often focuses on the same reduction: the living conditions of migrants in our society and ghettoization, unemployment, the concentration of migrant children in so called ‘sink’ schools, unsuccessful integration and the sense of insecurity within the native community due to the presence of foreigners. Social workers proceed according to this evidence-based practice. Social workers are committed to the realization of a social policy that needs to accomplish an effective integration of migrants. In this article we question the evidence of the integration policy that is pursued. The reasons for this are multiple, but not least because the integration practices are often very counterproductive. I argue that migrant problems are not confined to the borders of our own community. A social policy of integration, addressed to migrants and other newcomers, which only depends on the conditions of our own society, must fail. Social work has increasingly been drawn into a role of punishment in its work with newcomers. This article looks to enlarge evidence-based practice to a reflexive collaboration with professionals in order to counterbalance the current rejection and submission of ‘unsuccessful’ migrants and newcomers.
ISSN:0020-8728
1461-7234
DOI:10.1177/0020872813515009