Description
Immigrant and refugee children, as well as children of immigrants, face not only the common challenges of childhood, but many unique burdens. They could lose a parent or caregiver to deportation, possibly forcing them into foster care, or be placed in deportation proceedings themselves. Everyday decisions, like registering for a school lunch program, are now perceived as potential risks--an additional stress on parents that also impacts children. Rising xenophobia and racism may challenge their sense of identity and belonging. Many such children have already experienced trauma in their lives, yet also have great strengths and resiliencies. Over the past four months, collaborative efforts have sprung up across the country among a wide variety of stakeholders—health care providers, educators, pediatricians, early childhood providers, counselors, psychologists, immigrant rights, child advocacy, and racial equity advocates—on how best to provide mental health support to children in the current policy environment.
GCIR’s June Monthly Immigration Policy Call will delve into the policy issues impacting immigrant and refugee children, and children of immigrants and refugees; examine the role of trauma-informed approaches to support children and their families and build upon their strengths; and explore funder approaches to incorporating mental health services for children and their families in communities.
Speakers
- Kerri Talbot, Partner, VENG Group
- Wendy Cervantes, Senior Policy Analyst, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP
- B. Heidi Ellis, PhD, Director, Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center, Boston's Children's Hospital: Research + Innovation; Associate Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School; Steering Committee Member, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Aryah Somers Landsberger, Director of Programs, GCIR (moderator)
Registration
Registration for this event is now closed.
Calls are open to GCIR members, other grantmaking institutions, philanthropic advisors, and members and staff of funder affinity groups and regional associations of grantmakers. (Participation is limited to organizations that share GCIR’s core values.)
