References
A literature review of the psychological status of asylum-seeking children: implications for nursing practice
Abstract
Europe is in the midst of a large-scale migration crisis, which has implications for healthcare provision for asylum-seeking children and families. The authors set out to identify the psychological status of asylum-seeking children and highlight their needs. A search of three electronic databases was carried out, resulting in 15 studies. Data show that asylum-seeking children appear to experience many mental health difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, self-harm, sleep disturbance and behavioural difficulties. The daily living situation includes a range of psychological stressors, such as lack of space and control; fear of deportation; feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness; poor parental mental health; lack of recreational facilities; communication issues; and financial worries. Since many asylum-seeking children have experienced past trauma, hospitalisation and healthcare encounters may trigger traumatic memories and cause further distress. Awareness of the psychological impact of the situation on children and families may help nurses to provide empathetic, sensitive and culturally competent care.
Europe is experiencing a large-scale migration crisis, which has implications for healthcare provision across the region. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) (2018a), a refugee is someone who has had to leave their country of origin due to ‘a well-founded fear of persecution because of reasons including their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion’. An officially recognised refugee must be afforded protection, provided with access to services and have the right to work in another convention country. On the other hand, an asylum seeker is an individual who has requested international protection, but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined (UNHCR, 2015). Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (ASC) are defined as individuals under the age of 18 years who are separated from their legal guardian and are seeking protection. According to the UNHCR (2018b), there are about 25.4 million refugees in the world; 52% of these are aged under 18 years, which represents a significant number of children and youths.
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