School-based interventions for refugee children and adolescents

Abstract

Children and youth under the age of 18 make up more than half of the world's 25 million refugees, putting pressure on school psychologists to provide targeted psychoeducational services. Schools are inadequately prepared for the growing enrolment of refugee youth, due to lack of professional expertise and limited resources. This chapter begins with an overview of the preflight, flight, and resettlement experiences that impact the child's development, learning, and well-being. Next, we draw upon cognitive-developmental theory as a foundation for school-based service delivery. We then appraise trauma-informed care (an approach that has been well regarded in clinical practice), and review the evidence base of school-based mental health interventions. Given that the majority of refugee youth may be affected in ways that might not be adequately explained by symptomatology, we recommend that services address broader psychoeducational concerns. We conclude with suggested guidelines for effective school-based service delivery.