European Journal of Social Work
2018

Trajectories of ambivalence and trust: experiences of unaccompanied refugee minors resettling in Norway [Ambivalens og tillit; om enslige mindreårige flyktningers erfaringer under bosetting i Norge] (Article in Press)

Eide K.* , Lidén H. , Haugland B. , Fladstad T. , Hauge H.A.
  • a Department of Health-, Social- and Welfare Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway
  • b Institute for Social Research, Oslo, Norway
  • c Department of Health-, Social- and Welfare Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway
  • d Southern Norway Regional Trauma Centre (RVTS South), Kristiansand, Norway
  • e Department of Health-, Social- and Welfare Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway

Abstract

Unaccompanied refugee minors are vulnerable due to previous and current experiences, yet often resourceful when resettling in a host country. Their experiences of ambivalence and trust in relationships with transnational family, peers and social workers have not been extensively researched. Using a qualitative longitudinal research design, we followed unaccompanied refugee youths during their first two years of resettlement in Norway. In our understanding, they struggled to overcome the tensions of being in-between what they could take for granted in the past and an indeterminate future. The changes the youths described were not initiated by or dependent on social work practice, but they have important implications for such practice. The youths developed capacity to assess trustworthiness of people and institutions, and they exerted more agency in developing new relationships. Our study suggests three interesting implications for social work practice and research: more emphasis should be put on (a) the youths as trust-givers, (b) how the youths assess trustworthiness, and (c) how social service organisations become trustworthy. © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

resettlement unaccompanied refugee minors trustworthiness longitudinal research Trust

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85052078688&doi=10.1080%2f13691457.2018.1504752&partnerID=40&md5=194af2533100cb770f6b4c468d11f31c
DOI: 10.1080/13691457.2018.1504752
ISSN: 13691457
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English