ABSTRACT
The number of young people facing stressful life circumstances and unsafe environments seems to be increasing every day. Children and adolescents across the globe are living in environments marked by war, violence, and other traumatic events. Many are being forced to flee their homes, becoming refugees and asylum seekers in unfamiliar and often unwelcoming places. Many more face chronic poverty that limits all aspects of their lives and future opportunities. The World Health Organization estimates that 10%–20% of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental disorders (WHO, 2015). Still more who do not meet criteria for specific diagnoses engage in behaviors that put them at risk of physical, mental, or emotional harm. Children facing any of these challenges are in need of varying levels of support, yet in many places in the world such assistance is not available.
