Youth who have recently immigrated to a new country face many challenges related to their new circumstances. The resources on this page are for professionals working with youth who are immigrants or refugees and include information about navigating the legal issues commonly faced by these young people.
AAP Immigrant Child Health Toolkit (PDF - 1,163 KB)
American Academy of Pediatrics
Provides practical information and resources about working with immigrant and refugee youth in health-care settings. This information can support child welfare professionals in understanding the unique health challenges among this population and connecting them to appropriate services.
Child Welfare Screening Sheet: Determining Potential Avenues for Legal Status
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (2017)
Guides child welfare professionals through the process of identifying a path for noncitizen youth to gain legal status.
Immigrant Youth
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Provides information on advancing immigrant legal rights through trainings, technical assistance, advocacy, and creating and disseminating resources for the field.
Integration Barriers: Perspectives From Refugee Youth (PDF - 106 KB)
Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (2018)
Presents themes from interviews with refugee youth identifying four major barriers to acculturation, as well as causes, impacts, and solutions for each.
Living in the United States: A Guide for Immigrant Youth (PDF - 767 KB)
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (2015)
Describes the different types of immigration status and discusses the rights of immigrant youth. The guide also provides strategies for a range of topics, including what to do if you are undocumented, how to get a green card, deferred action for childhood arrivals, deferred action for parents of Americans and lawful permanent residents, addressing immigration problems, helping family members, and more.
Preventing Child Maltreatment in ORR/DCS-Funded Care Provider Programs
Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services
Trains professionals working with refugee children and youth in recognizing and reporting child maltreatment, maintaining professional boundaries and conduct, and preventing child maltreatment. This resource is available in English and Spanish.
Safety Planning with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors [Webinar]
Fleischauer & Coleman (2021)
Switchboard
Describes warning signs that an unaccompanied refugee youth may be at risk of sex and labor trafficking. Once identified, this resource supports professionals in creating effective safety plans and engaging related service providers to support these youth.
Social Work Practice With War-affected Children and Families: The Importance of Family, Culture, Arts, and Participatory Approaches
Denov & Shevell (2018)
Journal of Family Social Work, 22
Outlines how war and migration affects children—as well as family systems more broadly—and discusses how a family approach to social work can better meet the needs of refugee families.
Supporting Children and Parents Affected by the Trauma of Separation
Bartlett & Ramos-Olazagasti (2018)
Child Trends & National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families
Discusses the intersectional work necessary in implementing trauma-informed care to address the negative effects of family separation throughout the migration experience.
Working With Immigrant Families (PDF - 462 KB)
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (2020)
Provides practical steps that local child welfare agencies can take to better support immigrant families and their children, including connecting with organizations that serve immigrant communities and understanding immigration policies.
Young Children in Refugee Families and Early Childhood Programs: Ways to Mitigate the Effects of Trauma [Webinar]
Migration Policy Institute (2018)
Addresses the role of early child education in identifying and treating symptoms of complex trauma among refugee children.