3. Managing the Psychological Aspects of Deportation and Child Custody

Family is the building block of a healthy society and the environment where children develop their sense of security and belonging. Many immigrants, perhaps like yourself, come to the U.S. to give their children a better life and future than the one possible in their homeland. Deportation can shatter your family’s hard earned sense of security and stability in the U.S. This is most likely a tremendously difficult time for you as an individual, and as a parent, as well as for your child, because it disrupts whatever sense of safety you have managed to build.

When safety and security are lost, it can generate significant amounts of stress, which can be particularly toxic for children, and their developing brains and bodies. This is especially significant, and detrimental, when it involves separation from primary caretakers (i.e. parents). Children need a safe and secure environment to thrive physically, emotionally, socially and academically. Stress, especially when it is chronic and in the early years, has a negative impact on a child’s healthy development, and its consequences can last a lifetime. Having conversations to address your child’s worry, in the case of deportation, can help alleviate their stress, and potentially ameliorate its negative impact.

• Checklist: Managing The Psychological Aspects Of Deportation And Child Custody
• Why Talking About Deportation is So Stressful
• Why it is Important to Talk About Deportation
• Ways of Monitoring Stress to Allow for Conversations
• Children of Different Ages Will Have Different Reactions and Concerns
• Strategies for Having Conversations with Children About Deportation
• How to Cope With Deportation By Helping Your Children Feel Safe
• Mental Health Resources