Group of kids sitting together. Photo by Brett Gundlock

Reintegration Services for Returning Children

Supporting Unaccompanied Migrant Children at Every Stage of their Journeys

Not all children who journey to the United States or Mexico have the option to stay, and others choose to return to their country of origin. These children need holistic support to ensure that they can reintegrate successfully into their homes and communities.

KIND’s Child Migrant Return and Reintegration Program helps unaccompanied and separated Central American children as they return home. KIND’s program is unique as we provide support and accompaniment prior to and after return whenever possible, with services in home country lasting 12 months. 

Returning children face many challenges including settling back into their families; re-enrolling in school; healing from trauma they may have experienced before, during, or after migration; and obtaining the resources to plan for a safer, brighter future. Through our program, returning children receive case management support, psychosocial, educational, and other critical services they- and their families- need to safely reintegrate. KIND’s reintegration services are gender-sensitive, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically responsive. 

We encourage referrals as early as possible prior to return to create a plan and support the child and family during all aspects of the return process. We also work with children who are already back in their home country even if they were not referred to us before their return.  

To refer a child to KIND’s Program, please make sure the child meets the referral criteria. You can review the project with the child and obtain authorization to share their information with KIND.

If you would like further information about our program or have not been contacted about your referral within 3 business days, please e-mail:
reintegration@supportkind.org 

REFER A CHILD NOW

Required Materials for Referral

Please be ready to upload the following documents prior to submitting your referral:

  • Signed Consent and Authorization Form or Documentation of verbal authorization (required).
  • Other supporting documentation such as child’s birth certificate, immigration court orders, travel documents, educational records, or other relevant documentation.

Referral Criteria 

  • Have traveled to Mexico/United States before the age of 18 
  • Originally from and returning to Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador 
  • Traveled without parent/guardian or was separated from parent/guardian during the journey 
  • If already in country of origin, has returned less than one year ago 
  • Was away from home country for at least 2 months OR has a compelling need for services in spite of a short time away 

Where and How We Work 

KIND has been a leader in reintegration services for children since launching our Child Migrant Return and Reintegration Program in 2010.  

KIND seeks to provide holistic reintegration support to all children returning to Central America. We offer services through trusted community partners in specific regions of Guatemala and Honduras who accompany and support children and their families in their home communities ensuring culturally and linguistically appropriate services. While we do not have services available in all regions where children return, we support all children returning to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with pre-return services and seek to identify resources in the local communities of children who are not returning to the areas served by our partners.

 

A group of children with partners in Guatemala.

The regions with full services and local partners are: 

Guatemala: 

Colectivo Vida Digna (Quetzaltenango, Totonicapán, Sololá) 

Asociación Pop No’j (Huehuetenango) 

ECAP– Equipo de Estudios Comunitarios y Acción Psicosocial (Quiche, San Marcos) 

Honduras: 

Casa Alianza Honduras (Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, other regions on a case-by-case basis) 

CASMCOMISIÓN DE ACCIÓN SOCIAL MENONITA (Cortes, Santa Barbara, Yoro) 

Learn More

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