Psychosocial Interventions for Third-Generation Palestinian Refugee Children: Current Challenges and Hope for the Future

The purpose of this study was to explore mental health workers’ perceptions and concerns about the psychosocial interventions provided to third-generation Palestinian refugee children. Our sample comprised 30 mental health practitioners aged 26–35 years, who were purposively selected at five Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank of Palestine. Thematic content analysis was applied to transcripts of interviews with the practitioners, with a view to identifying key themes. It emerged that psychosocial service providers typically deliver consultation, group, and individual counselling, debriefing, and life skills training to children in Palestinian camps. The main challenges faced by the psychosocial service providers in the camps include a lack of qualified specialist staff, insufficient funding, the political conflict, and poor community awareness of psychosocial services, as well as low salaries and unemployment among psychosocial practitioners. The participants suggested that improving psychosocial services in the future will require investment in the sector, working alongside families and schools, establishing permanent psychosocial centres, and offering professional development opportunities to Palestinian psychosocial service providers.