Refugee children and adolescents constitute over 45% of the refugee population worldwide. While a number of guidelines and standards have been developed to promote their protection and care, in practice, refugee youth are not always paid sufficient or adequate attention. Their needs and priorities have until recently been considered “on-the-sidelines” of core protection and aid programs, or else subsumed under those of their adult counterparts. One notable exception is the increasing focus on health issues, with a particular emphasis on mental health. Psychosocial research in the area of refugee youth mental health suggests a complex relationship between displacement and health. Studies also suggest that refugee youth have many of the same physical health issues or conditions seen in non-refugee children and adolescents, although with differing prevalence rates.
Mental Health
Refugees of all ages must not only contend with experiences of violence, persecution, and other potentially...
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Suggested Readings
Ahearn, F. L. (Ed.). (2000). Psychosocial wellness of refugees. New York/Oxford: Berghahn Books.
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Suggested Resources
Refugee Youth. www.yefugeeyouth.org
Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services. www.brycs.org
Lessons from the field: Issues and resources in refugee mental health. http://www.refugeesusa.org/help_ref/lessons_field_manual.pdf
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2005). Summary note: UNHCR’s strategy and activities concerning refugee children. http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/439841784.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
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Ensor, M.O. (2012). Refugee Youth. In: Loue, S., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Immigrant Health. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5659-0_651
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