Journal of Refugee Studies
Volume 31, Issue 2, 2018, Pages 240-256

Moving forward: Educational outcomes for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) exiting foster care in the United States (Article)

Crea T.M.* , Hasson R.G., III , Evans K. , Cardoso J.B. , Underwood D.
  • a Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • b Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • c Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • d University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, Houston, TX, United States
  • e Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Unprecedented numbers of unaccompanied children have migrated to the Southern border of the United States in recent years. Yet, little is known about how these children fare after arrival, including the few who are placed in the federally sponsored Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) foster care programme. Existing research suggests that unaccompanied refugee children, unaccompanied migrant children and foster children each face significant barriers that limit their educational attainment. This study examines educational attainment for children exiting the URM programme in 2015 (n=193). Longer stays in care are associated with higher educational attainment. Permanent legal status predicts increased high-school graduation rates, but not college enrolment. Significant variation emerged between children from the Northern Triangle region of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras) compared with other countries of origin, as well as across countries within this region. These results are discussed in light of United States policies that may influence the educational attainment of unaccompanied migrant youth. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

foster care Higher education Refugee education Refugee children Migrant Children Secondary education Unaccompanied children

Index Keywords

El Salvador [Central America] Guatemala [Central America] immigration policy Honduras immigrant young population educational attainment refugee secondary education higher education United States child care
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85048958047&doi=10.1093%2fjrs%2ffex020&partnerID=40&md5=a5d2445fa3cef1765320d728f18717cc
DOI: 10.1093/jrs/fex020
ISSN: 09516328
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English