Background In recent years, Canada has accepted more temporary migrants to fulfill labour shortages and support economic productivity. These temporary and precarious status (TAPS) migrants, including temporary foreign workers, international students, refugee claimants, and non-status individuals, work in various sectors to fill gaps in the labour force. However, the precarity and uncertainty experienced by TAPS migrants create challenges around their access to health and social services. In response to shifting migration policies that may exacerbate these challenges, this study aims to identify and describe the extent, range, and nature of health and social programs for TAPS migrants in Ontario. Methods We conducted a systematic mapping review using a systematic search strategy to identify relevant programs and services that addressed the social determinants of health through searching organizational, network, and institutional websites; municipal, provincial, and federal government agency websites; and the Canadian Business and Current Affairs database. Results We identified 143 programs serving TAPS migrants, mostly implemented across southern Ontario and delivering both broad settlement services and issue-specific programs. Additionally, most programs identified in this mapping review served refugee claimants in major urban and suburban cities. In contrast, there were limited programs in northern Ontario and for non-status individuals. Key elements of health and social programs serving TAPS migrants included fostering accessibility, engaging subject matter experts, and developing enabling partnerships among service providers. Conclusion These findings provide an understanding of existing programs serving TAPS migrants in Ontario and offers insights that could inform future programs as migration policies evolve in Canada.

This paper explores how refugee families resettled in Canada conceptualize and value education, highlighting the central role it plays in their migration decisions, wellbeing, and future aspirations. Drawing on qualitative data from 18 refugee families collected through an innovative, family-centered Researcher-in-Family (RIF) model, which engaged youth as research interns within their own families, this study finds that education emerged as a dominant theme in participants’ narratives. Framed through the Human Capability Approach (HCA), the analysis reveals that refugee families perceive education as both intrinsically valuable, linked to dignity, emotional fulfillment, and familial pride, and instrumentally vital for achieving autonomy, economic security, and societal integration. The findings critique existing global and national education policies that overwhelmingly prioritize primary education within a short-term humanitarian logic, often failing to support refugees' equitable access to secondary and post-secondary opportunities. This paper calls for long-term, inclusive, family-centered education policies that reflect refugees’ intergenerational aspirations. It concludes with policy recommendations to reframe refugee education as a strategic investment in social cohesion, national development, and refugee wellbeing within the practical constraints of contemporary policy environments.

For Rohingya families living in the world's largest refugee camps, the perinatal period unfolds under conditions of profound insecurity and deprivation, despite being a critical developmental window that reshapes family dynamics and lays the foundation for child outcomes. Guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) Nurturing Care Framework-which emphasizes the interdependence of health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and safety-we conducted collaborative family interviews, semi-structured interviews with mothers and fathers, and Life Story Board activities with school-aged children across 32 families to examine how caregiving is negotiated during this sensitive period. Findings revealed three interconnected themes: (1) parent-child wellbeing strained by chronic stress, trauma, and structural constraints; (2) intensified resource scarcity that heightens worries about food, healthcare, education, and equitable caregiving; and (3) shifting family dynamics in which older siblings-especially girls-assume significant caregiving and economic roles as parental capacities are stretched. Despite these pressures and clear gaps across the nurturing care domains, families demonstrated notable adaptability, moral commitment, and resilience in supporting their children. The results underscore the urgent need for holistic, contextually grounded interventions that bolster caregiver wellbeing, address structural barriers, and strengthen family systems in protracted displacement settings.

BACKGROUND:The Rohingya refugee crisis is one of the largest humanitarian emergencies of the 21st century, with nearly one million Rohingya residing in overcrowded camps in southern Bangladesh. Women and children face the greatest vulnerabilities, including inadequate access to education and healthcare, which exacerbates their risks and limits opportunities for personal and community development. While international organizations continue to provide aid, resources remain insufficient, particularly in maternal and child healthcare, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable interventions. OBJECTIVES:The Hope Foundation for Women and Children in Bangladesh launched a pilot project for the Health Assistant Training (HAT) program to address critical gaps in healthcare and education for the Rohingya community. This nine-month training program equips young Rohingya women with essential knowledge and skills to support maternal health services in both clinical and community settings. DESIGN:We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the HAT Program to explore its acceptance and anticipated benefits for both participants and the community. METHODS:The research team used semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and field observations to explore the HAT Program's impact on young Rohingya women and their community. They analyzed data through thematic analysis, developing a coding framework and identifying key themes to uncover patterns and insights. RESULTS:The results were categorized into four themes: (1) community acceptance of the HAT Program, (2) the HAT Program's impact on the health assistant trainees, (3) the impact of the HAT Program on the community, and (4) the potential ways to expand the HAT Program. CONCLUSIONS:This research underscores the program's impact on improving healthcare access, enhancing women's empowerment, and promoting community resilience. By situating this initiative within the broader context of refugee health, education, and capacity-building, this research highlights the HAT program's potential as a replicable model in Bangladesh and in other humanitarian settings.

There is limited research on how family togetherness and hope contribute to the feeling of being at home in resettlement contexts. To address this gap, we used qualitative methods with 18 refugee families from different countries of origin who resettled in Canada. The data indicate refugee families navigate challenges through the dual lenses of family togetherness and hope. Family togetherness and hope are crucial foundational pillars in fostering a sense of being at home. The findings have important implications for refugee policy and practice, emphasizing the need for family reunification and creating environments that nurture hope for a stable future.

More than 15% of refugee families will experience pregnancy loss. Feelings of stigma, shame, and guilt may be common after experiencing such a loss. The presence or absence of supports may help to exacerbate or ameliorate these feelings. The research used a qualitative approach to explore experiences of pregnancy loss among Syrian refugee families who were displaced in Lebanon. The foundation of the research was 15 collaborative family interviews with mother-father dyads followed by one-on-one interviews with mothers and fathers and two peer group discussions. The viewpoints and experiences of practitioners were elicited through three one-on-one interviews and four peer group discussions. By focusing on both formal and informal supports, the research suggests ways that practice and policy may be improved to better meet the needs of displaced families who have experienced pregnancy loss.

Fostering a sense of belonging plays a significant role in supporting refugee families’ integration into resettlement communities. The spatial dimensions within which refugees live and interact, such as homes, neighbourhoods, communities, and cities are influential in fostering belonging and supporting overall wellbeing. However, a socio-spatial perspective on belonging for refugees remains underdeveloped. To address this gap, we conducted an integrative knowledge synthesis of key sources from 2012 to 2022 contributing to the discourse on fostering refugee belonging via socio-spatial initiatives. Our aims were to highlight elements of belonging for refugee families that inherently embody the importance of place and to make recommendations for resettlement policy and practice. We focus on the size and socio-spatial characteristics of resettlement contexts to foster refugee families’ sense of belonging. Acknowledging the interconnectedness of belonging, notions of place, and integration can enhance resettlement processes and support the overall wellbeing of refugee families.

PurposeThis paper aims to understand the mental health experiences and needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh from the perspective of mental health-care providers and hospital administrators.Design/methodology/approachThis paper conducted a mixed methods study. Clinical data about refugee mental health care of 722 adult and pediatric patients were analyzed, and four focus groups with mental health providers (n = 4), primary health-care providers (n = 5), hospital administrators (n = 4) and midwives (n = 5) were held.FindingsClinical data analysis found that patients were diagnosed and treated for a variety of mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, psychotic and neurological disorders. Misalignment between diagnosis and psychotropic medication prescription partly exists because of the unavailability of medications. Focus group findings indicate a lack of awareness of mental health conditions, and Rohingya visit hospitals for symptomatic physical ailments. Cultural and social factors discourage people from seeking mental health care. Patients are often brought by concerned family members or community health workers. A limited number of mental health-care providers are available to diagnose and treat Rohingya refugees, and follow-up care is often lacking.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, this paper only drew data from one field hospital in the camps. Future research should sample practitioners working in other health centers across all camps for a more comprehensive look at the prevalence and variations in mental health issues and mental health services provision. Second, this paper did not interview patients for this study as the study focused on the perspectives of administrators, health-care providers and support staff. Nevertheless, the inclusion of patients would have illuminated perceptions and attitudes and the social, familial and religious dynamics toward identifying mental health problems and seeking mental health services. Therefore, future research should aim to focus on participants' voices and experiences.Practical implicationsClinics across the camps should enhance the screening of refugees for common mental disorders and encourage them to report cases within their families. Further, health-care providers and support staff should explain to refugees the importance of non-pharmacological treatment approaches and that, according to studies, their effectiveness is equal to or sometimes more effective than pharmacological treatment.Social implicationsTo address mental health-related stigma, conducting awareness campaigns in close collaboration with local leaders is critical to improving the level of knowledge among refugees, which could improve mental health-seeking behaviors.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified gap in the mental health experiences and needs among the Rohingya refugees. The true prevalence of the range of mental health challenges among the Rohingya population is not accurately known; however, its impact is immense. The data indicates that mental health providers in remote regions be provided with training opportunities so they can effectively treat mental health conditions. Additionally, existing underlying root causes should be addressed through inclusive awareness programs in tandem with increasing the number of mental health clinics and providers across the camps and allocating more resources to provide medications for appropriate case treatment.

Problem: Childbirth and the postpartum period are critical times for both mothers and babies. Traditional cultural practices often play a significant role in providing support during this time. However, in exceptional circumstances, such as those faced by refugees giving birth in disrupted social environments, these practices may be inaccessible, leading to emotional distress and delayed physical recovery. Aim: To explore the cultural significance of traditional motherhood practices in Syria that are still observed by some Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Methods: The study used a phenomenological approach and included in-depth interviews with eight Syrian mothers residing in informal settlements in Lebanon. Findings: Findings were organized around three themes: (1) Familial Support during the Postpartum Period, (2) Specific Cultural Practices during the Postpartum Period, and (3) Emotional Experiences during the Postpartum Period Discussion: Understanding these cultural practices is essential for developing culturally sensitive interventions that can improve wellbeing of refugee mothers.

This study analyzes stressors experienced by Syrian mothers in Lebanon in 2020 and emphasizes the necessity of addressing their distinct needs. Through in-depth interviews, it identifies stressors linked to living conditions in Lebanon, the economic crisis, health care access, and the impact of the pandemic. The study recommends that social workers should utilize and enhance existing support systems. It also recommends social policies facilitating mobility for Syrians to reunite with their families and livelihood programs enabling families to prioritize their own financial stability. This comprehensive approach has the potential to alleviate the challenges faced by Syrian mothers in Lebanon.

Purpose As host to over one million Syrian refugees, Lebanon continues to experience challenges addressing the needs of refugee families. This research examined the experiences of Syrian families with the refugee support system in Lebanon. The purpose of this study was to better understand the strengths and gaps in existing mechanisms of support for these Syrian families, including informal support from family, neighbors and community and more formalized support provided through entities such as nongovernmental organizations and United Nations agencies. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 46 families displaced by the war and living in Lebanon ( N = 351 individuals within 46 families). Collaborative family interviews were conducted with parents, children and often extended family. Findings The data identified both strengths and gaps in the refugee support system in Lebanon. Gaps in the refugee support system included inadequate housing, a lack of financial and economic support, challenges with a lack of psychosocial support for pregnant women and support for disabled youth. Despite these challenges, families and community workers reported informal community support as a strong mediator of the challenges in Lebanon. Furthermore, the data find that organizations working with Syrian families are utilizing informal community support through capacity building, to create more effective and sustainable support services. Originality/value This study provides an overview of strengths and gaps in supports identified by refugees themselves. The research will inform the development and improvement of better support systems in Lebanon and in other refugee–hosting contexts.

Families suffer in particular ways during the violence and targeted deprivation of freedom and resources within political violence (PV), which includes wars, armed conflicts, and military occupations. While evidence is accumulating about the disproportionate impacts of PV on parents and children, we lack a clear, globally integrated understanding of how families suffer—and survive—PV. There is an urgent need to synthesize existing work to refine our understanding of parental experiences within PV—with particular attention to both how PV creates suffering for parents, and how parents strategize, caring for their families within the most horrendous of circumstances. In this systematic scoping review, authors explore how political violence impacts parenting. Using predetermined search strategies and inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed, empirical articles, published in English), searches within multiple databases, and tests of interrater reliability, 112 articles (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method) were identified. Authors organized and coded findings, determined common themes, and built a conceptual model connecting and integrating findings. Findings point to two crucial areas of parenting within PV: parenting efficacy and parenting practices, demonstrating how these are simultaneously compromised by and amplified within PV. Results uncover how much parenting within PV is intertwined with parental psychological and social well-being, and that parents cope with a variety of internal and external resources, including culture, community, religion, activism, flight, and emotional and logistical reconfiguration. Implications include that, within and after PV, interventions must focus on parental well-being, as well as the social and political situatedness of parents.

Introduction: Of the approximately 1.5 million government-reported Syrian refugees displaced in Lebanon, one in four women are of childbearing age (Cherri et al., 2017; Nabolsi et al., 2020). Pregnancy loss among childbearing women is more prevalent in low-resource settings (Harakow et al., 2021; The Lancet, 2016). This qualitative research study explores Syrian refugee families’ experiences of pregnancy loss in Lebanon considering the scarcity of health services, specifically those addressing pregnancy loss in displacement settings. Methods: An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to illuminate the experiences of pregnancy loss among 15 Syrian refugee families living in the Bekaa region. Each mother-father dyad participated in a joint interview followed by an individual interview. Two peer group discussions were held with mothers (n=8) and fathers (n=7). The viewpoints of health practitioners were elicited through one-on-one interviews (n=3) and four peer group discussions (n=10). Results: Dedicated services following pregnancy loss are lacking. Both parents and practitioners emphasized the predominantly medical focus of care for women during the perinatal period. In the wake of pregnancy loss, parents expressed a general lack of awareness of available health services while health practitioners prioritized the provision of awareness sessions (as a form of pregnancy loss prevention). Both parents and health practitioners endorsed a need for psychological supports. Health providers also identified the need to engage fathers more in perinatal services, while parents spoke intensely of the need for practical support that addressed their precarious living conditions. Conclusions: By highlighting the overlap and differing service priorities of parents and practitioners this research suggests critical areas of change for the delivery and reception of services following pregnancy loss. While responding to refugee families’ extreme poverty and precarity should be at the forefront of service utility, increasing the responsiveness and relevancy of practice and policy that frame the experience of pregnancy loss among refugee families is equally vital.

In August 2021, the United States withdrew from Afghanistan after 20 years. The fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban resulted in the displacement of some Afghans. Canada committed to welcoming thousands of refugees. Research suggests that refugees tend to have higher rates of post-traumatic stress, and Afghan refugees, in particular, have among the highest rates. Another body of literature suggests that religious coping has positive effects. This paper presents qualitative data from interviews with 11 Afghan refugees who arrived in Ontario after August 2021 with the intent to combine these two findings. In so doing, we sought to understand how Afghan refugees described their experiences of displacement and the extent to which those experiences were traumatic, but also how they relied on Islam to cope with the traumatic effects of displacement. The interviews we conducted suggested that our participants experienced exposure to death, exposure to threat of death and/or injury, and described some of symptoms of the criteria for PTSD. The interviews also suggested that the participants coped using Islamic concepts, beliefs, and rituals. The qualitative data we present provide rich descriptions of the experiences of trauma in the face of displacement and religious coping.

While there have been many studies that elucidate the extent of human suffering in Afghanistan, there has been no formal study of what it means to be psychologically and socially well. This article reports on a participatory phenomenological study conducted in Afghanistan designed to better understand psychosocial well-being. Collecting data from 440 Afghan participants in 56 focus group discussions, the research specifically elaborated and operationalized definitions of psychosocial well-being that were relevant to the Afghan context. This study adds critical value around definitions of what it means to be psychosocially well in Afghanistan and other conflict-affected countries.

As of 2019, there were over 70 million people displaced from their homes, the most displaced persons since the Second World War. This number continues to rise as solutions to stem large-scale violence and subsequent displacement continue to fail. Today, twenty-four people are displaced from their homes and communities every minute. The likelihood of the displaced returning to their homes is become increasingly unlikely as their homes may have been destroyed as a result of conflict and war. What are the impacts of loss of home upon children, adults, families, communities, and societies? If having a home is a basic human right, then why is the destruction of one’s home not viewed as a violation of human rights and prosecuted accordingly? This book answers these questions and more by focusing on domicide, or the intentional destruction of the home, as a human rights issue.