Approximately half of the world’s displaced population are children and a significant proportion of these are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). UASC are the most vulnerable of all refugee populations. Up to 90% of UASC have been subjected to exploitation, including trafficking or being drafted into military groups. Having survived the perils of flight, UASC are confronted with continued challenges, including the uncertainties regarding their residential rights in host counties. Unsurprisingly, the prevalence of mental health problems is higher amongst UASC than in any other refugee group. Yet, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) appears to neither reach nor engage UASC. This begs for re-examination of what and how MHPSS is offered. Despite high levels of adversity, UASC often have considerable resilience, and make remarkable recoveries. However, literature exploring their resources or their own views of what helps or hinders recovery is scarce. In this narrative review, we explore individual and systemic factors promoting recovery in UASC. We consider theoretical understanding of resilience, emerging data and user perspectives. From these we deduct four areas of resilience in UASC: Individual factors – prosocial behaviour, problem-solving skills; Lifetime relationships – positive early family relationships, connection with family and country of origin, positive peer and adult relationships in host country; Acculturation – integration of own and new culture, positive relationships with prosocial institutions; Care arrangements – supported but less restrictive living arrangements. We suggest, MHPSS may need to focus on enhancing social networks, including connectedness with positive relationships in the home-country, life-history work with a focus on resource-building experiences in addition to trauma, and promoting integration of old and new cultural values. We also conclude that despite growing data, there is a gap in both eliciting user perspectives and understanding adaptive resources, especially those emerging during early development and within their cultural setting.

世界上大约一半的流离失所人口是儿童，其中很大一部分是无人陪伴的寻求庇护儿童（UASC）。UASC 是所有难民人口中最脆弱的。高达 90% 的 UASC 遭到剥削，包括贩卖或被征召入伍。UASC 在逃亡的危险中幸存下来，面临着持续的挑战，包括他们在东道国居住权的不确定性。毫不奇怪，UASC 中心理健康问题的患病率高于任何其他难民群体。然而，心理健康和社会心理支持 (MHPSS) 似乎既没有达到也没有参与 UASC。这要求重新审视 MHPSS 提供的内容和方式。尽管逆境程度很高，UASC 通常具有相当大的弹性，并取得显着的恢复。然而，探索他们的资源或他们自己对什么有助于或阻碍恢复的看法的文献很少。在这篇叙述性回顾中，我们探讨了促进 UASC 恢复的个人和系统因素。我们考虑对弹性、新兴数据和用户观点的理论理解。从这些我们推断出 UASC 的四个弹性领域：个人因素——亲社会行为、解决问题的能力；终生关系——积极的早期家庭关系、与家人和原籍国的联系、在东道国积极的同伴和成人关系；文化适应——融合自己的文化和新文化，与亲社会机构建立积极的关系；护理安排——支持但限制较少的生活安排。我们建议，MHPSS 可能需要专注于加强社交网络，包括与母国的积极关系的联系、生活史工作，重点是除创伤之外的资源建设经验，以及促进新旧文化价值观的融合. 我们还得出结论，尽管数据不断增长，但在引出用户观点和理解适应性资源方面存在差距，尤其是那些在早期开发过程中和在其文化环境中出现的资源。