Examines the risk factors associated with foster care or permanent placement of refugee children as well as the difficulties that children may have forming attachments with new caregivers or biological parents after a long separation. The study categorizes these children into 3 groups: unaccompanied refugee children who have been separated from their parents; refugee children re-united with a biological parent (most often their widowed mothers); and children adopted overseas. All these children have experienced war, political persecution, or economic injustice. Many children have been abused by previous caregivers. Many also have conflicting feelings about placing their loyalty in a new caregiver. Children’s delayed reactions to personal trauma and loss can manifest themselves as detached, frustrated, or aggressive behavior toward themselves or others. Other findings suggest that: (1) the challenges of adapting to a new home are more intense for re-united and accompanied refugee adolescents who are also undergoing biological, cognitive, emotional, and social changes; (2) foster, adoptive, and even biological parents may feel ambivalent toward children whose suffering is resulting in negative behaviors; (3) children should not be left to themselves to work out their traumatic experiences; and (4) such approaches as post-adoption family therapy must be given priority.
