Critical social work with unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people: Restoring hope, agency and meaning for the client and worker

Nelson, Deborah J.; Price, Elizabeth; Zubrzycki, Joanna

doi:10.1177/0020872816637663

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…In line with other research, this study's findings suggest that vulnerable groups are constrained within complex sociopolitical, legal, and cultural contexts that do not (always) facilitate what was intended (Andersen 2014; Bjerge, Nielsen, and Frank 2014; Cuthill 2017; Frank and Bjerge 2011; Møller and Stensöta 2019; Nelson, Price, and Zubrzycki 2017).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Performance of Agency in Real‐Life Encounters: Turning Unequal Power and Structural Constraint into Collaboration

Mik‐Meyer

Haugaard

2020

Symbolic Interaction

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This article explores the performance of agency within the context of unequal power resources and structural constraint. Based on 23 video‐recorded placement meetings in three homeless shelters, we find that participants' agency is the outcome of both collaboration and resistance. To avoid interaction that fails to empower, social actors engage in “repair work” and face‐saving practices. When clients display “wrong face”—that is, bring problems to the table that are not considered “reasonable”—then the service providers engage in “repair work.” Participants turn conflict into collaborative agency because interactions that fail to deliver mutually empowering forms of agency have costs for both: clients' problems are not solved, and service providers fail to reach organizational goals.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Performance of Agency in Real‐Life Encounters: Turning Unequal Power and Structural Constraint into Collaboration

Mik‐Meyer

Haugaard

2020

Symbolic Interaction

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“…The 16 studies that concern PSS are very heterogeneous in terms of approach; thus, we can group them only based on their aim. Specifically, most of them focused on the minors’ wellbeing, empowerment and support [ 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 ]. Three studies aimed exclusively or partly at minors’ integration [ 88 , 94 , 95 ] and four aimed at the improvement of their caregivers’ skills [ 90 , 96 , 97 , 98 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychotherapeutic and Psychosocial Interventions with Unaccompanied Minors: A Scoping Review

2023

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Unaccompanied minors (UAMs) are considered a particularly vulnerable population, facing severe threats regarding their physical and mental health. As their number has increased in recent years worldwide, research on mental health interventions has become necessary. The implementation of psychotherapeutic interventions has been documented, but psychosocial interventions seem to not have been consistently studied. In this review, we summarize the psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions with UAMs that have been studied up to now. Following the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews, we searched four databases and included studies and practice papers; there were no restrictions on publication date, geographical region, language, or method. We identified 46 studies on psychotherapeutic interventions and 16 studies on psychosocial interventions that met the inclusion criteria. Psychotherapeutic interventions were mainly based on cognitive behavioural, psychodynamic, narrative, art and transcultural approaches and aimed at improving UAMs’ trauma, mental health and wellbeing, as well as professionals’ skills and therapeutic protocols. Several studies showed promising results, with the cognitive behavioural approaches being the most researched. However, more research is needed in order to draw conclusions in terms of effectiveness. Psychosocial interventions followed various approaches and aimed at UAMs’ empowerment, wellbeing, support and integration, as well as at improving caregivers’ skills. Nonetheless, they seem not only very heterogeneous but also understudied, and we believe that a focus on them would be very useful. Methodological limitations and their implications for future research are discussed.

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“…Approaches to social work practice with war-affected children and families Given its broad approach and careful consideration of context, social work as a profession and discipline, has a great deal to offer to research and practice with war-affected populations-within war and conflict settings, as well as following forced migration and resettlement. And yet, aside from a few articles (Baum, 2007;Bragin, Taaka, Adolphs, Gray, & Eibs, 2015;Bragin et al, 2016;Fennig & Denov, 2018;Nelson, Price, & Zubrzycki, 2017;Ramon, Campbell, Lindsay, McCrystal, & Baidoun, 2006;Yan & Anucha, 2017), relatively little has been written on social work practice with war-affected populations, particularly refugees. We suggest that a family approach, as well as attention to context and culture, alongside an emphasis on linking the arts with social work practice, can be key social work contributions to research, education, and practice with this important population.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social work practice with war-affected children and families: the importance of family, culture, arts, and participatory approaches

Denov

Shevell

2018

Journal of Family Social Work

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War and armed conflict not only gravely impact individual children, but the entire family system, with the impacts of war further compounded by the complexities of displacement, flight, migration, and resettlement to new contexts. These processes can cause destabilizing ruptures in the social fabric, networks, and services that support and protect children and families, ultimately hindering their potential protective capacities and potentially contributing to negative long-term intergenerational effects. The family plays a vital role in shaping children's mental health and well-being in conflict and post conflict settings, and thus the family needs to be accorded greater consideration in designing psychosocial support services for war-affected populations. With growing numbers of war-affected refugees resettling in Canada and the U.S., it is critical that psychosocial programs and interventions address their unique needs, as individuals, families, and communities. Moreover, there is a greater need for culturally responsive practice with war-affected refugee children and families that accounts for the diversity and heterogeneity of their needs and lived experiences. In this Special Issue entitled: "Children of War and their Families: Perspectives on Social Work Practice & Education", we suggest that factors such as fostering a family approach, allotting careful attention to context and culture, alongside an emphasis on linking the arts and participation with social work practice, can be key social work contributions to research, education, and practice with this important and often overlooked population.

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Critical social work with unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people: Restoring hope, agency and meaning for the client and worker

Cited by 18 publications

References 35 publications

Performance of Agency in Real‐Life Encounters: Turning Unequal Power and Structural Constraint into Collaboration

Performance of Agency in Real‐Life Encounters: Turning Unequal Power and Structural Constraint into Collaboration

Psychotherapeutic and Psychosocial Interventions with Unaccompanied Minors: A Scoping Review

Social work practice with war-affected children and families: the importance of family, culture, arts, and participatory approaches

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