Helping undocumented children in an emerging Latino community

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the limitations of strategies that mothers of undocumented Latino children use in an emerging community to address the health needs of their children.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews with low-income immigrant mothers of undocumented Latino children (n=10) and social service providers (n=6). Interviews were transcribed, coded using Atlas-ti and analyzed to identify common perspectives on the strategies used to secure healthcare for uninsured undocumented children.FindingsMothers of undocumented Latino children struggle to secure healthcare for their children. Based on the principles of familismo and personalismo, they rely on social support networks such as friends, relatives and fellow churchgoers to secure information about available healthcare options. Despite the willingness of social and health service providers to help them access healthcare, options are limited and depend on the actions of individuals rather than organized solutions. Securing care for undocumented children using families, friends and sympathetic individual providers as the source of information and advice leads to fragile unsustainable solutions.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper adds to the small yet growing literature of Latinos in emerging communities.Practical implicationsEmerging Latino communities are usually unprepared to welcome Latinos and address its various needs. Undocumented children are a particularly vulnerable group and any sustainable strategy to address their needs would require structural changes in existing health services to ensure that undocumented children’s lives are not affected by poor health.Originality/valueHealthcare access problems for immigrant children are presented from the perspective of parents and offers a nuanced description of health systems unpreparedness to provide care for vulnerable groups whose immigrant status is poorly understood.