Education of unaccompanied refugee minors in high-income countries: Risk and resilience factors

Abstract

Record numbers of unaccompanied refugee minors continue to arrive in high-income countries seeking asylum and protection. Despite receiving educational support, unaccompanied refugee minors continue to be vulnerable to negative educational experiences and outcomes. The review investigates what resilience factors enable unaccompanied refugee minors in high-income countries to have positive educational experiences and outcomes. It aims to inform the literature on risk and resilience factors and the development of future interventions. Eighteen articles met the eligibility criteria for the review. Twenty-six factors were identified as risk and resilience factors related to five socio-ecological levels: child, microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. The findings revealed significant heterogeneity. Microsystemic and mesosystemic factors were found to play the most important role in educational resilience. Meanwhile, young mothers, minors who experienced immigration detention, and minors whose immigration statuses are unknown or pending are sub-groups of unaccompanied refugee minors who are particularly vulnerable to risk. Findings are discussed with implications for future research, policy, and practice. Future studies need to elaborate whether their findings are particular to the condition of being unaccompanied or being refugee.