We publish the report of the conference “Walking A Tightrope: Hidden issues, challenges & complexities surrounding the protection needs of Albanian unaccompanied young people seeking asylum in the UK”, which was held in London, 6th June 2017.

This conference aimed to increase understanding of the lives, circumstances and fundamental issues faced by Albanian young people seeking asylum and to help dispel the myths that perpetuate and act as a barrier to achieving durable solutions for those seeking safety and support.

It was jointly organised by ESRC- funded Becoming Adult Project; the Shpresa Programme, London; the Migrant & Refugee Children’s Legal Unit (MiCLU) and Islington Law Centre, London; IOM, United Kingdom; the UCL School of Slavonic & Eastern European Studies (SSEES) and Newham Partnership for Complementary Education (NPCE).

It brought together more than a hundred participants including practitioners, legal specialists, policy makers and academics working in the field together with Albanian young people in order to: i) explore these issues in greater depth through sharing knowledge and expertise; ii) give voice to Albanian young people seeking safety in the UK; and iii) help develop a policy, practice and research agenda towards achieving durable solutions for unaccompanied minors from Albania.

The podcast of the conference is available here.