The last twenty years have seen unprecedented numbers of refugee children entering Western countries. Many of these children will have experienced the atrocities of war and issues concerning their care and treatment are high on the agenda of research bodies, policy makers and service providers.

Refugee Children is the first book to offer a wide ranging analysis of the context of care and the measures taken by nation states and intergovernmental bodies to address perceived problems. Drawing on a detailed examination of practices, the book outlines a model of good practice in the care of refugee children. Topics covered include:

• the treatment of asylum seeking children at the borders of industrialised countries
• reception, psycho-social problems, social capital, education, and issues relating to cultural diversity and integration
• a critical analysis of responses to these problems including the development of special programmes for refugee children,
• elements of good practice in the field
• the transfer of good practice between countries
• implications for the development of services and academic research in this vital area.

With a series of case studies examining practices from a number of countries, Refugee Children makes a vital contribution both to the social care literature in this field and to theory and research in refugee and migration studies. As such it is essential reading for academic researchers in a range of disciplines including social policy, education, migration and refugee studies as well as service providers in health care, social care, housing and education.

Charles Watters is Director of the European Centre for the Study of Migration and Social Care in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at the University of Kent.