How Can Refugee Parents Be Supported to Help Their Young Children with Mental Health Needs? Parents’ and Stakeholders’ Perspectives

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2026 Jun 25. doi: 10.1007/s10578-026-02045-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Refugee and asylum-seeking parents face distinct challenges in supporting their children’s mental health during resettlement. Although elevated child mental health risks and barriers to service access are well documented, less is known about how parents could best be supported to help their children. This study explored parent and stakeholder perspectives to inform family-centred support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 refugee parents (ENRICH) and 30 stakeholders across health, education, local authority and voluntary sectors (ESTEEM) in the UK. Data were analysed using Reflexive Template Analysis. Four levels of support were identified: basic stability; belonging through community, language and play; understanding and trust; and specialist psychological support. Three overarching system conditions shaped whether families could access and use support: coordination, communication and competence; responsiveness; and the right setting. Parents also identified specific specialist supports, including practical guidance, family-centred and joint parent-child approaches, and culturally responsive therapeutic spaces. Services were often described as reactive, fragmented and culturally mismatched, limiting engagement and reducing support effectiveness. Effective support for refugee parents to help their children requires attention not only to what is provided but how it is delivered. Coordinated systems, culturally and linguistically responsive practices, timely support, and delivery through trusted community settings are central to enabling parents to support their children’s mental health. Together, these findings provide a practical framework to inform the development of family-centred approaches during resettlement.

PMID:42347911 | DOI:10.1007/s10578-026-02045-z