SOCIAL SERVICES WRITTEN RESOURCES
CILA's social work team creates resources with advocates, children, and sponsors in mind. Some of our toolkits include sample scripts in English and Spanish. If you wish to read a blog post regarding one of these resources, please visit our Blog webpage here and filter by #Social Work. We included resources created by the CILA legal and social services team here that cover topics relevant to social services staff and social workers. Click on the image thumbnails below to discover more about each resource.
Please note that some of the resources below will prompt you to log in or sign up for a free CILA account. If you have any questions, please email us at cila@abacila.org.
Navigating Reunification Challenges: A Toolkit for Sponsors of Unaccompanied Minors
This toolkit was created by CILA’s social work team in both English and Spanish to help sponsors and youth navigate the complexities of the reunification process. It includes an overview of potential social, behavioral, and mental health challenges that might arise during the transitional period of reunification. The goal of this resources is to offer tips, resources, and guided practices relating to behavioral health for sponsors and children that might help prevent or mitigate potential challenges. You can read more in our introductory blog post here.
Navigating Difficult Conversations with Child Clients: Guidance & Examples
This interdisciplinary resource from CILA’s legal and social work teams includes ethical considerations, helpful context for conversations, practical tips for supporting clients, and self-care strategies. The resource also includes example scripts in English and Spanish, covering topics advocates and/or clients may struggle discussing openly. CILA initially created this resource in 2023 in conjunction with holding a workshop on this topic. CILA updated the resource in 2024 adding content and more role plays based on the need in the field for a resource such as this.
Working with Unaccompanied Children: Mental and Behavioral Heath Toolkit
This updated toolkit was prepared for social workers, social services providers, legal service providers, or anyone else new to working with unaccompanied youth, as well as for those practitioners who need a refresher or seek new ideas. This toolkit aims to provide context to the youths’ experiences and essential 101 information about mental and behavioral health, in addition to tools and resources in both English and Spanish. Read Marissa's blog on updates to the resource here.
Conditions for LGBTQIA+ Children & Youth in Seven Countries
This resource provides a starting point for documenting country conditions in seven countries (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Afghanistan) relating to LBGTQIA+ individuals. Local organizations that may be able to help LBGTQIA+ individuals have also been noted in the document.
A New Path: My Toolkit for Navigating Life in the United States
A toolkit prepared by CILA’s social work team for unaccompanied migrant youth in the United States as they navigate the immigration process. The goal of this toolkit is to offer general information, tips, and resources related to mental and behavioral health, certain legal rights, and the immigration process for youth. Available in Spanish here. You can read more about the resource on the blog post here.
Collaborative Efforts to Immigration Relief: A Call for Integration of Social Workers + Lawyers
Drawing from interviews with six legal service provider organizations across the country, this written resource offers examples of different organizational structures and approaches to integrating social services, emphasizing the importance of intention. The resource provides information key to understanding the social work profession, tiered approaches to integration, mandatory reporting processes, and more. It provides practical tools to facilitate collaboration, address potential challenges, and enhance the delivery of holistic services. Advocates can access the resource with a CILA account of any color and watch a related webinar highlighting key aspects of the resource here.
Understanding and Navigating the Public Education System in the United States: A Guide For Unaccompanied Youth
This educational guide is available in English and Spanish. It is designed to help unaccompanied youth and newcomer students understand the K-12 public education system in the United States, their educational rights, and the opportunities available to them. The guide is divided into ten sections, covering essential topics such as enrollment, school programs, examinations, high school graduation, and pathways to higher education, including financial aid and tuition support.
Be Smart With Your Money – Financial Tips for Unaccompanied Youth
CILA created this guide for immigrant youth in both English and Spanish. This guide aims to support unaccompanied youth in understanding key financial concepts that are essential as they navigate young adulthood. The guide introduces foundational topics in financial literacy to empower youth to make informed choices, gain confidence in managing their finances, and lay the groundwork to build long-term financial stability.
Public Education (K-12) Disability Rights: Guidance for Sponsors of Unaccompanied Children
CILA developed this guide to help sponsors and advocates of unaccompanied children understand the eligibility requirements and process for accessing Special Education (SPED) program services and supports in public K-12 education in the United States. Topics covered include educational rights and protections afforded to children with disabilities under federal law. cultural considerations, determination of eligibility, the SPED evaluation process, the services and supports provided through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), alternative services available to students with disabilities who are not eligible for the SPED program, and a list of national organizations and resources. This resource is also available in Spanish.
Emotional Wellness Workbook for Youth
This workbook was created by CILA’s social work team in both English and Spanish to provide youth with tools for achieving emotional wellness. It includes 41 activities offering coping and grounding skills, as well as tips for navigating shelter fatigue, increasing self esteem, building a support group, and more. You can read all about in our introductory blog post here.
Understanding Post Release Services for Unaccompanied Youth
This resource was designed to help advocates navigate Post-Release Services (PRS) for unaccompanied children. ORR’s Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule calls for significant expansion of PRS, making it more important than ever for advocates to understand how these services work and who is eligible. PRS are essential in ensuring a safe transition for children as they reunify with sponsors and access critical community resources. This six-page written resource provides an overview of PRS including eligibility criteria, levels of support, and the services available to unaccompanied youth post-release. It also provides practical tips for contacting PRS providers. Read more about this resource here and access it with the link below.
Access to Healthcare for Immigrant Youth
CILA created this explainer for immigrant youth in both English and Spanish to help them understand the healthcare system in the United States. This resource includes information about their rights to medical care, how to access health care, and their options to get health insurance or participate in government programs to help pay for medical costs. The resource was first published in June 2025 and updated in October 2025.
Think Before You Post – Social Media Tips for Immigrant Youth
This social media resource is available in English and Spanish. CILA created this social media resource to help youth understand how their online activity can impact their immigration process. This resource provides an overview of recent immigration policy changes related to social media use and offers practical tips for immigrant youth to stay safe online. This resource will help youth understand and recognize actions to take to stay in control of their social media presence, as well as protect their personal information, manage their digital footprint, and keep their accounts secure. It encourages youth to pause and think before they post, build intentional habits that support their safety and privacy, and own their online story.
SOCIAL SERVICES TRAININGS
As part of CILA's social work program, CILA offers training focused on supporting social service providers and the populations they work with within a culturally responsive framework. For other trainings on working with children, please click here.
