The Impact of Armed Conflict, Political Violence, and Immigration Enforcement on Children: Implications for Child Maltreatment, Protection, and Well-Being

Co-Editors: Carmit Katz, Ph.D. and Jill D. McLeigh, Ph.D

The International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice invites submissions on the multidimensional impact of armed conflict, political violence, and immigration enforcement on children. We especially welcome work that explores maltreatment, exploitation, trauma, and systems of care within these contexts, and encourage submissions from various cultural and geographic backgrounds. We welcome empirical research, theoretical contributions, practice innovations, and policy analyses.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Effects of immigration enforcement on family separation and child welfare
• Child maltreatment risks associated with the detention of migrant or asylum-seeking children
• Family separation, unaccompanied minors, and heightened vulnerability to abuse
• Psychological trauma, toxic stress, and long-term developmental consequences
• Impacts of war-related, gender-based violence on children and adolescents
• Experiences of refugee, asylum-seeking, and internally displaced children
• Protective factors and resilience among war-affected and displaced children
• Barriers to accessing child welfare and protective services due to immigration status
• Effects of deportation threats and parental detention on children’s trauma and development
• Child protection in contexts of forced displacement
• Community-based and culturally grounded prevention and intervention strategies
• Access to and effectiveness of child welfare, mental health, and legal systems
• Roles of international law, humanitarian organizations, and child protection frameworks
• Protective effects of inclusive immigration policies (e.g., pathways to citizenship, sanctuary policies) on child outcomes
• Prevalence and patterns of child maltreatment in conflict and displacement settings
• Recruitment and exploitation of children by armed groups or political militias
• Ethical considerations and methodologies for research in conflict and crisis settings

Submission Details:

This is an ongoing Call for Papers with no fixed submission deadline. To ensure your article is considered for this issue, please indicate “Yes” when asked about special issue submission and select the option “Armed Conflict, Political Violence, and Immigration Enforcement.” Articles should be prepared in accordance with the Journal’s standard author guidelines (Guide for Authors) and must clearly demonstrate their relevance to child maltreatment and child protection.

Manuscripts may be submitted through the journal’s website (Editorial Manager system).