Mental health and well-being of unaccompanied minors: A Nordic overview
Integration, Børn & unge
1 apr 2020
Research and evaluation of specific interventions to support mental health among unaccompanied minors is sorely needed, according to Nordic Welfare Centre’s report Mental health and well-being of unaccompanied minors: A Nordic overview.
The report surveys different aspects of health of unaccompanied minors who have arrived in the Nordic region. The focus is on mental health issues rather than physical health, as the former are usually seen as posing more of a challenge to successful integration and to the social and health services in the Nordic countries.
According to the report school health surveys that include more comprehensive questions on mental health and well-being, and which separate unaccompanied minors from other immigrant children might provide valuable health information about this group. Using a common, standardised, and culturally validated screening instrument and study design across studies in the Nordic countries would provide much needed comparative research.