Unaccompanied minors (UAMs), young individuals with no family or direct support, need reliable tools to manage the funds paid to them. Fortunately, digital technology has opened up new solutions to meet their needs, notably through the use of online accounts. With the emergence of these types of accounts, young people often find themselves juggling financial autonomy with the responsibility that comes with it.
Online accounts offer you a convenient, transparent and secure solution for managing the welfare benefits of the MNAs for whom you are responsible, enabling them to easily access their money, track their spending and stay informed about their situation, while reducing the risk of financial fraud. However, proper financial education, appropriate supervision and online risk awareness are essential to ensure that money is managed responsibly. By adopting the right practices and tools, you can help MNAs successfully navigate today's digital and financial world.
The complex context of protection for unaccompanied children
Traditionally, the financial management of minors is the responsibility of their parents or legal guardians. However, unaccompanied minors, whether they are refugees, migrants or homeless French nationals, find themselves left to their own devices and cared for by various child protection associations. In addition to meeting their basic needs, such as housing and education, these associations must also help them to manage the allowances allocated to them effectively.
With the advent of online accounts, young people now have easy access to their own accounts and can carry out transactions without direct supervision. This financial autonomy offers freedom to minors, but it also entails potential risks that need to be taken into account.
The advantages and disadvantages of online accounts for MNAs
4 advantages
Online accounts are modern tools that offer invaluable advantages to unaccompanied minors.
1. Increased accessibility
Online accounts offer your unaccompanied minors a high level of accessibility to their funds, accessible from any location with an Internet connection. This ease of access enables them to manage their finances at any time, without having to physically visit a bank branch.
Using these accounts, they can make cheque deposits or transfers without going through a third party. Equipped with a credit card with a personalized, limited limit, they can make purchases in total security. What's more, they can receive email or SMS notifications to keep them constantly informed of their financial situation.
2. Improved safety
Unlike payments by cheque or cash, online account transactions are secure and can be tracked in real time, limiting the circulation of cash and reducing the risk of loss, theft or fraudulent use of benefits. Enhanced security measures are employed, such as two-factor authentication.
3. Better expense tracking
Integrated online account management tools enable MNAs to monitor their spending, categorize their transactions and better plan their budget. This promotes responsible use of allowances and encourages financial independence.
What's more, online accounts offer greater transparency on transactions and account history, particularly useful in situations where unaccompanied minors are under the guardianship of an association, avoiding, among other things, overspending.
4. Easy management
For social workers responsible for overseeing the finances of MNAs, online accounts make your job easier. You can easily access relevant information and, if necessary, carry out transactions online, reducing the bureaucracy and delays associated with traditional financial management.
Methods involving cheques or cash are often a source of complications. Managing funds is more difficult, and can lead to waste or misuse of resources.
Precautions to take
Unfortunately, the financial autonomy of unaccompanied minors also presents a number of risks. Lack of supervision can lead to irresponsible use of funds, sometimes resulting in large outlays. What's more, minors are often more vulnerable to scams and financial fraud due to their lack of experience.
However, digital solutions can help to overcome these problems , by giving young people autonomy while allowing managers to maintain control (by setting maximum spending limits, for example). What's more, with digital financial management solutions, the amounts available on cards are capped in any case, so the risk is reduced!
What practices should be adopted for the financial management of UFMs?
As the association responsible for unaccompanied minors using online accounts, adopting good practices for their financial management is essential. First and foremost, proper financial education is essential. Your young people need to be informed about basic concepts such as saving and budgeting, as well as the risks associated with using the Internet, such as protecting personal data and checking the legitimacy of online financial services.
Secondly, appropriate supervision and support are essential. Legal guardians and educators must play an active role in the financial management of unaccompanied minors, providing advice and guidance on how to manage their money responsibly.