Promoting the Well-Being of Asylum-Seeking and Refugee Children Within and Beyond the School Gates: Insights from the United Kingdom

Abstract

This chapter provides a narrative synthesis of the research findings on the well-being of asylum-seeking and refugee children in the United Kingdom. The authors identified 36 research articles published in peer-review journals and thematically analyzed them to document these children’s negative experiences that could impact their well-being. The reported studies also explained the support mechanisms and interventions needed to sustain and improve child welfare and the challenges encountered in supporting their well-being. The research findings suggest that asylum-seeking and refugee children have diverse socioemotional and behavioral challenges, needs, expectations, psychological resources, and coping mechanisms that require schools to develop socioemotionally, culturally, or/and religiously sensitive responses for a more inclusive school environment.