EUROPEAN MIGRANT CRISIS 49
displaced people remain desperate for somewhere to go, the change in public opinion
means less pressure is being put on the government to help. Therefore, the potential
for refugees to live safely is greatly reduced. However, the journey and subsequent
relocation are not without risks of their own; dangerous travel methods – such as
hiding in gas tanks, malnutrition, and unhygienic and cramped conditions– are
common, serious threats to children’s wellbeing, many of whom face this journey
unaccompanied (Asylum Seekers and Refugees: what you need to know 2016). The
huge range of problems for a developing child associated with migration could mean
that a stable, albeit difficult, environment may ultimately be less disruptive. However,
given the real risk of remaining in a warzone, a better understanding of childhood
development and resilience is needed to accurately make this evaluation.
Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Systems Theory
The complex nature of human development is reflected in Bronfenbrenner’s (1986)
model which is divided into several systems, linking personal, familial, social and
chronological influences in both biological and environmental contexts. A child’s
microsystem includes the immediate environments in which they directly form
experiences, skills and relationships. However, these do not occur in a vacuum, often
coming into contact with each other, and the interactions between them is known as
the mesosystem. The systems work together but not always in the same direction and
when conflict occurs, either between microsystems or a disparity between biological
and environmental influences, it can be detrimental to development. As a result,
successful coordination between systems is imperative to healthy maturation
(Bronfenbrenner and Morris 2006: 795-825). More broadly, the macrosystem of a
child’s world contains the laws, values and ideologies of the society in which they
live – whether they are aware of them or not. Similarly, an individual’s chronosystem
includes the influence of the wider environment but goes further in considering
change (or stability) over time in a socio-historical context. It also includes the timing
in which life transitions take place and what stage a person is at when external
incidents occur. Another benefit of the model is that it considers changes in the
environment and how this may alter processes, which is useful in considering the
struggles of refugee children and how they are likely to be affected. It elegantly