Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Children Bureau Normalcy Integration Survey

Office of Refugee Resettlement

Unaccompanied Children Bureau

Normalcy Integration Survey

The mission of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is to promote the health, well-being, and stability of refugees, unaccompanied children, and other eligible individuals and families, through culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and strengths-based services. Our vision is for all new arrivals to be welcomed with equitable, high-quality services and resources so they can maximize their potential. 

To help unaccompanied children maximize their potential, ORR applies the principle of “normalcy” to their care. Normalcy refers to ensuring a child’s range of experiences while in ORR custody is typical of the range of experiences of any child of the same age. The application of normalcy is individualized and specific to the age, developmental stage, and interests of a particular child.

Strengths-based services for unaccompanied children emphasize a child’s strengths and abilities rather than their deficits and prioritizes collaboration with youth to promote their well-being and achieve their goals.

We ask that you complete this 30-question survey that should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. All survey responses are completely anonymous. The purpose of this survey is solely for process improvement and to enhance the services and care unaccompanied children and youth receive. It is not intended to find fault with individual providers or staff. Your honest feedback is valuable and will help us make meaningful improvements. Please select an answer to each of the following questions.

1. What is your role? [Multiple choice answer with drop-down selections]

   1. I work for ORR

      1. Division of Unaccompanied Children Services

      2. Division of Planning and Logistics

      3. Division of Health of Unaccompanied Children

      4. Division of Unaccompanied Children Field Operations

      5. Division of Unaccompanied Children Policy

      6. Division of Child Protection Investigations

      7. Divisions of Grants Management

      8. Division of Unaccompanied Children Placements

      9. Division of Quality Improvement and Performance Management

      10. Division of Unaccompanied Children Data Analytics and Information Management

      11. Unaccompanied Children Bureau Front Office

   2. I work for an ORR provider

      1. Direct care

      2. Supervisory

2. Before reading the introduction to this survey (above), I was familiar with the term “normalcy.”

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

3. ORR has a clearly defined expectation for applying normalcy principles.

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

4. Before reading the introduction to this survey, I was familiar with the term “strengths-based.”

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

5. ORR supports a strengths-based approach to decision-making about unaccompanied children.

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

6. ORR controls day-to-day decision-making about unaccompanied children’s activities.

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

7. Providers are encouraged to make courageous decisions independent of ORR about normalcy for unaccompanied children.

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

8. I have control over decision-making about allowing unaccompanied children to engage in normalcy activities.

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

9. When unaccompanied children engage in community-based normalcy activities, they are likely to experience harm.

   1. Strongly agree

   2. Agree

   3. Neither agree nor disagree

   4. Disagree

   5. Strongly disagree

10. If something happens to an unaccompanied child in care, I will be blamed.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

11. My co-workers apply normalcy for unaccompanied children in care.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

12. My co-workers use a strengths-based approach in caring for unaccompanied children.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

Typical experiences considered through an emphasis on “normalcy” for children and youth in ORR custody may include activities related to daily living and self-care, activities within the ORR setting, and accessing local community resources.

13. ORR permits ownership and use of cell phones, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

14. I would be comfortable with an unaccompanied child in my care having a cell phone, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

15. ORR permits unaccompanied children to choose their own clothing to wear, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

16. I would be comfortable with unaccompanied children choosing their own clothing to wear, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

17. ORR permits unaccompanied children to do their own laundry, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

18. I would be comfortable with unaccompanied children doing their own laundry, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

19. ORR permits unaccompanied children to engage in meal preparation on their own, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

20. I would be comfortable with unaccompanied children engaging in meal preparation on their own, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

21. ORR permits unaccompanied children to travel to community resources such as the public library on their own, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

22. I would be comfortable with unaccompanied children traveling to community resources such as the public library on their own, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

23. ORR permits unaccompanied children to participate in extra-curricular activities outside their program/setting, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

24. I would be comfortable allowing unaccompanied children to participate in extra-curricular activities outside their program/setting, if appropriate for the child’s age, developmental stage, and interests.

    1. Strongly agree

    2. Agree

    3. Neither agree nor disagree

    4. Disagree

    5. Strongly disagree

25. I most associate the following word with the principle of normalcy.

    1. Independence

    2. Learning

    3. Well-being

    4. Risk

    5. I do not associate any of these words with the principle of normalcy. If none of the above, please include your own [Include free text field for responders to input their preferred word.]

Finally, we are interested in learning more about your ideas for applying normalcy to unaccompanied children in ORR custody and applying elements of the ORR mission. Please use the questions below to offer additional feedback.

26. What are the biggest barriers to unaccompanied children’s participation in normalcy activities? (Select all answers that apply.)

    1. Safety of neighborhood/local community

    2. Opportunities available in neighborhood/local community

    3. Previous experience of harm to an unaccompanied child

    4. Fear of blame if an unaccompanied child is harmed

    5. Child’s safety, based on immigration status

    6. Concern about discriminatory treatment against unaccompanied children outside ORR/provider setting

    7. Child’s ability to communicate outside ORR/provider setting

    8. Risk the child will run away from ORR/provider setting

    9. Cultural considerations

    10. ORR policy

    11. Other – please add below [Include free text field for responders to input the challenge they identify.]

27. How can ORR better support normalcy for unaccompanied children in care?

28. How can ORR better support a strengths-based approach to services for unaccompanied children in care?

29. What else would you like to share about normalcy for unaccompanied children in ORR custody?

30. What else would you like to share about a strengths-based approach to services for unaccompanied children in ORR custody?

Thank you for completing this survey.

11