The experiences of temporary grants of leave to remain among former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the UK
A qualitative study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22421676 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Seb Casalotti (University College London, corresponding author), See Heng Yim (0000-0002-2241-1017, University College London), Nick Midgley (0000-0002-6263-5058, University College London), Cornelius Katona (0000-0001-7451-0167, University College London), Sheila Melzak (Baobab Centre for Young Survivors in Exile, London) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-18 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-17 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1321-8719 • E-ISSN: 1934-1687 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13218719.2026.2637113 |
| OpenAlex | W7161508090 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 20 |
This study explores the lived experiences of young adults in the UK who arrived as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and were subsequently granted successive short periods (≤30 months) of discretionary leave under the Ten-Year Pathway. We draw attention to the impact of temporary leave arrangements on young people’s development and functioning. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), eight in-depth, semi-structured interviews with former UASC who experienced protracted immigration insecurity were analysed. Three core group experiential statements (GETs) emerged: (1) ‘What I could have been’ – lost educational and career and relationship opportunities due to interrupted stability; (2) ‘The trauma every day you relive’ – how ongoing uncertainty impedes psychological recovery from pre-migration and journey trauma; and (3) ‘Why would I be lying to you’ – the emotional toll of being disbelieved within the asylum process. These findings underscore the need for asylum policies that prioritise developmental continuity and emotional security for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people.
Focus group · Qualitative analysis · Qualitative research · Child Welfare and Adoption · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Health and Trauma
The prevalence of mental illness in refugees and asylum seekers
Impact of a Long Asylum Procedure on the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Iraqi Asylum Seekers in The Netherlands
Interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Mental health of displaced and refugee children resettled in high-income countries
When lives are put on hold
Effects of the asylum process on the mental health of unaccompanied young refugees – A scoping review
Theorising youth and everyday peace(building)
The Management of Time and Waiting by Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Girls in Finland
The Tactics of Time and Status
Agency and Silence
Language acquisition, unemployment and depressive disorder among Southeast Asian refugees
Reject, limbo, and accept
Epilogue
| Highly cited | No |
|---|