Continuity and Social Support: A Longitudinal Study of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors' Care Networks

Extending existing frameworks, this article examines continuities and disruptions in unaccompanied refugee minors' social support networks, their mental health impact, and what these changes mean to the young people. Interviews with 35 URMs along their trajectories in Belgium and other European countries, at three measurement moments and over a period of two years, showed that family, peers and volunteers remained central sources of social support. Contributions of formal support depended on the URMs' status. We discuss the dynamicity of social support networks with regard to URMs' agency and acculturation, as well as implications for practice, policy and research.

Automated summary

This article explores the continuity and disruption in social support networks of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) and their mental health impact. It reveals that family, peers, and volunteers are central sources of support, while formal support varies depending on the URMs' status. The study emphasizes the dynamic nature of social support networks, highlighting the importance of agency and acculturation for URMs, with implications for practice, policy, and future research.