A Qualitative Evaluation of a Mother and Child Center Providing Psychosocial Support to Newly Arrived Female Refugees in a Registration and Reception Center in Germany

Catharina Zehetmair, David Kindermann, Inga Tegeler, Cassandra Derreza-Greeven, Anna Cranz, Hans-Christoph Friederich and Christoph Nikendei
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Catharina Zehetmair: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
David Kindermann: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Inga Tegeler: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Cassandra Derreza-Greeven: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Anna Cranz: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Hans-Christoph Friederich: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Christoph Nikendei: Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: Female refugees are frequently exposed to sexualized, gender-based violence and harassment before, during, and after their flight. Yet female refugee-specific care and protection needs are rarely addressed in host countries. This study aimed to evaluate a mother and child center (MUKI) for female refugees in a reception and registration center in Germany. In 2017, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 16 female refugees attending the MUKI and with its five main staff members. We asked the participants about the MUKI’s relevance, encountered difficulties, and suggestions for improvement. The interviewees appreciated the MUKI’s sheltered environment, care services, and socializing opportunities, as well as its women-only concept. Overall, the participants saw overexertion, social engagement-related difficulties, and the MUKI’s noisy environment as key attendance barriers. Interviewed staff primarily reported problems regarding the working conditions, including the high staff and attendee turnover and low general service awareness. The participants advocated an expansion of the MUKI program. The MUKI project underlines that providing newly arrived, vulnerable female refugees with sheltered surroundings and psychosocial services is an essential step toward addressing female refugees’ specific care needs.

Keywords: psychosocial health care; refugees; female; asylum seekers; protective shelter (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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