Doctoral study on young newcomers’ mental health, cultural identity & linguistic development

The research unit Parenting & Special Education is oriented on the study of parenting and developmental processes, with focus on the nature, predictors, and sequelae of parenting, developmental, learning, and behavioural processes. Our research focus equally entails the design and evaluation of evidence-based strategies for prevention, diagnostic assessment, and intervention regarding parenting, developmental, and behavioural problems.
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Project

Young newcomers’ development is characterized by multiple developmental tasks: their recent migration history in which loss and myriad (traumatic) stressors cumulate with the impact of cultural change is often associated with an increased vulnerability in mental health, linguistic development and cultural identity construction. In scholarly research, the interrelationships between these different developmental outcomes is a topic of growing interest: how are mental health, linguistic development and cultural identity interacting, and what is the role of proximal factors in family and school interaction?

In an interdisciplinary study, coordinated in partnership between the research unit Parenting & Education and the Centre for Language & Education (KU Leuven), we develop a multi-method exploration of the association between mental health, linguistic development, and cultural identity in young newcomers. An initial exploration forms the basis for a further intervention study of school-based collaborative care, an interdisciplinary intervention aiming at supporting young newcomers’ development. School-based collaborative mental health care is an innovative intervention that we develop and implement together with local educational partners: a primary care mental health provision for children and their families with a recent history of migration or flight. The intervention integrates expertise in trauma mental health care and linguistic support in a low-threshold, outreach provision embedded within the school context: in case of concerns on the developmental trajectory of a young newcomer, collaborative mental health care sets up an active collaboration with the newcomer child’s family and the school team. Coordinated by an intersectoral network, culture- and migration-sensitive assessment is followed by interventions that aim at promoting the child’s mental health, school trajectory, linguistic and cultural development, while equally targeting family functioning and social stressors.

Profile

We are looking for a doctoral candidate with the following qualifications:

–          You obtained a Master-degree in the domain of Educational Sciences, Psychology or related disciplines;

–          You are eager to collaborate with an interdisciplinary team;

–          You share an interest in school trajectories in young newcomers, and you have experience in setting up cooperation with school teams;

–          You show a strong sensitivity in intercultural dialogue and participant observation with families with a recent migration background;

–          You are interested in scientific research, including mixed-method analysis, and you are willing to further specialize in diverse data-collection and analytical strategies;

–          You have experience in collaborating with newcomers as co-researchers;

–          You are a team player, and you display integrity and critical thinking;

–          Experience in scientific research and multilingual data-collection is an asset when applying for this position.

Offer

We offer a full-time employment with a duration of four years, oriented on a doctoral study, starting as of November 2025 with a one-year employment and prolongation in case of a positive evaluation.

You will become part of an interdisciplinary study team, with frequent interdisciplinary intervention and dialogue. You can actively contribute to a pilot development of a collaborative methodology, in which we include refugees and newcomers as co-researchers in an inter-ethnic study team.

You will become part of a warm, supportive and reflective study and clinical team. In your supervision, a lot of emphasis is given to your future professional trajectory and development.

You will be able to develop close contacts with school teams and educational practitioners, and you have the opportunity to actively contribute to evidence-based practice in care for young newcomers.

KU Leuven equally provides medical insurance, reimbursement of transportation costs with public transport, a KU Leuven bike, ecocheques, and telework-facilities.

https://ppw.kuleuven.be/praxisp/hulpaanbod/transculturele-traumazorg-aan-vluchtelingen/collaboratieve-zorg/index

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Lucia De Haene, tel.: +32 16 32 60 44, mail: [email protected].

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