Category

Child Well-Being

The impact of immigration detention on children’s mental health: systematic review

By | Child Well-Being, Detention, Immigrant Families Research, Research, Research Highlight, Trauma

The impact of immigration detention on children’s mental health: systematic review

Isabella Priestley et al., The British Journal of Psychiatry (April 10, 2025)

This systematic review synthesized data on the detrimental impact of immigration detention on children’s mental health, including high rates of depression and PTSD, underscoring the need for alternative immigration policies that eliminate the detention of children and families.

Deportation Threatens the Psychological, Physical, and Socioeconomic Well-being of Children and Families

By | Child Well-Being, Federal Policy, Immigration Enforcement, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight

Deportation Threatens the Psychological, Physical, and Socioeconomic Well-being of Children and Families

Society for Research in Child Development (March 2025)

This policy brief explores how immigration enforcement and anti-immigrant policies act as adverse childhood experiences, creating negative consequences for children’s psychological, physical, and socioeconomic well-being.

Policy Approaches to Achieve Health Equity for Immigrant Children

By | Child Well-Being, Culture: Issues & Competencies, Federal Policy, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight, Legal/Law

Policy Approaches to Achieve Health Equity for Immigrant Children

Ben D’Avanzo, Gabrielle Lessard, Jenny Rejeske, Wendy Cervantes, Isha Weerasinghe; Academic Pediatrics (April 4, 2025)

This paper proposes comprehensive policy recommendations to support children in immigrant families, including access to permanent immigration status, culturally responsive mental health services, safe spaces, child-centered immigration policies, expanded access to public programs, and robust research.

Implications of state policy context for the well-being of immigrant families with young children

By | Child Well-Being, Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Research, Research Highlight, State Policies

Implications of state policy context for the well-being of immigrant families with young children

Kevin Ferreira van Leer, et al., American Journal of Community Psychology (January 15, 2025)

This mixed-methods study explored how state-level social policy exclusions for immigrants are associated with the well-being of immigrant parents and development of their children.

Care under pressure: Policy contradictions of speedy release, safety, and placement suitability in ORR-contracted programs for unaccompanied migrant children

By | Child Well-Being, Foster Care, Immigrant Youth, Research, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Care under pressure: Policy contradictions of speedy release, safety, and placement suitability in ORR-contracted programs for unaccompanied migrant children

John Doering-White, Jessica Darrow, Breanne Grace, Benjamin Roth, Aimee Herring, & Stefan Liew; Children & Youth Services Review (February 2025)

This article explores the perspectives of 65 human service workers in ORR-contracted programs across four states on how they understand the policies that shape care for unaccompanied children and the challenges that exist.

A Guide to Creating “Safe Space” Policies for Early Childhood Programs

By | Child Well-Being, Early Childhood, ICE, Immigration Enforcement, Legal/Law, Practice, Youth & Families

A Guide to Creating “Safe Space” Policies for Early Childhood Programs

Priya Pandey, Rebecca Ullrich, & Alejandra Londono Gomez, The Center for Law and Social Policy (Updated January 22, 2025)

This updated guide provides information and resources to design and implement “safe space” policies that protect early childhood programs against immigration enforcement, and includes sample policy text.

The Impact of a Broken Immigration System on U.S. Students and Schools

By | Child Well-Being, Immigrant Families Research, Immigration Enforcement, Research Highlight

The Impact of a Broken Immigration System on U.S. Students and Schools

Patricia Gándara, Lucrecia Santibañez, Jongyeon Joy Ee, & Julieta Rico; UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools, Latino Policy and Politics Institute, and Civil Rights Project (December 4, 2023)

This research brief explores the the harmful consequences of immigration enforcement actions on Latinx children of undocumented immigrants and provides policy and practice recommendations to support immigrant students and their families.

Unaccompanied Children: Efforts by the Office of Refugee Resettlement to Address GAO Recommendations

By | Child Well-Being, Foster Care, Immigrant Youth, Research, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Unaccompanied Children: Efforts by the Office of Refugee Resettlement to Address GAO Recommendations

U.S. Government Accountability Office (November 19, 2024)

This report details the efforts of ORR to address recommendations related to its role in caring for unaccompanied children, which were identified in recent GAO reports.

From Congregate to Community-Based Care: Strengthening Reunification and Support of Unaccompanied Children

By | Child Well-Being, Detention, Foster Care, Immigrant Youth, Language Issues, Research, Trauma, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

From Congregate to Community-Based Care: Strengthening Reunification and Support of Unaccompanied Children

Lauren Heidbrink, Women’s Refugee Commission (October 30, 2024)

This report and advocacy brief detail the findings of a study examining family reunification policies and practices for unaccompanied children in federal custody and provide recommendations related to the care environment, ORR family finding and placement procedures, and follow-up supports for reunited families.

Insights for clinical providers and community leaders: Unaccompanied immigrant children’s mental health includes caregiver support.

By | Child Well-Being, Immigrant Youth, Research, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Insights for clinical providers and community leaders: Unaccompanied immigrant children’s mental health includes caregiver support

Johanna Creswell Báez et al., Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal (September 6, 2024)

This study interviewed UCs, their caregivers, healthcare professionals, mental health providers, and community leaders in Houston, Texas to understand the lived experience and mental health needs of UCs and their caregivers.

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