“Permanent Temporariness:” Eritrean Refugees and Social Workers’ Perceptions of Israeli Policies and Their Implications for Family Well-Being

This chapter deals with Eritrean refugees and social workers’ perceptions about Israel’s policies and their implications for the well-being of refugee families, parents and children. The concept of “permanent temporariness” is used to encapsulate the legal and psycho-social aspects of refugees’ lives in continuing instability, which is caused by their temporary legal status, lack of human rights and access to services, and the ongoing threat of deportation. Based on the narratives of Eritrean refugee service users and social workers who work with them, this chapter focuses on the context of policies in the construction of well-being. The findings suggest that Israel’s policies and the permanent temporariness they enforce hindered families’ mental health and recovery from trauma, children’s processes of identity formation, and enhanced the role shifts between parents and children. Furthermore, restrictive policies and xenophobic discourse had driven families to poverty and increased their exposure to violence and racism. The threat of deportation had put families’ physical and psychological well-being at risk. Refugees’ temporariness also impacted the relationship between social workers and service users: it increased power imbalances, parents’ mistrust, and hindered the creation of partnerships. Still, despite the permanent temporariness and other post migration challenges, refugee families’ resilience is discussed. The chapter concludes with implications for social work practice and a call for policy advocacy for the protection of refugee children and families’ rights.