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The Effects of Invisible Support in Refugee Care for Intergenerational Health

Prenatal stress has profound, long-term consequences for unborn children, increasing their risk of mental health issues and perpetuating intergenerational health disparities. Despite their importance, informal supportive actions—referred to as invisible care—are often excluded from Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) frameworks, leaving their impact unrecognized and underfunded. This research seeks to document and validate these unacknowledged practices, offering practical insights to improve maternal and child health outcomes while addressing structural gaps in humanitarian aid frameworks.

Focusing on refugee reception centers in Europe, the study examines how invisible care, delivered by staff and volunteers, reduces stress in pregnant women and improves health outcomes for their children. By bridging anthropology, public health, and policy analysis, the project highlights gaps in existing M&E systems and offers recommendations to integrate these practices into formal evaluations. For this research project the research team collaborates with AMURTEL and Because We Carry. Both organizations were selected because of their unique approach to refugee and maternal care, often highly valued by pregnant refugee women. Through this collaboration between scientists and practitioners, the research project seeks to enhance maternal and child health, ensure the value of invisible care is recognized, and improve funding opportunities for organizations delivering these critical interventions.

The study is led by an interdisciplinary team with extensive expertise in humanitarian aid and health.

Research Team: 

  • Dr. Roanne van Voorst (Principal Investigator; FMG, UvA)
  • Prof. Tessa Rosenboom (Co-Investigator; Amsterdam UMC)
  • Dr. Marjette Koot (Postdoctoral Researcher; Amsterdam UMC)
  • Dr. Loes Loning (Postdoctoral Researcher; Rutgers, UvA Anthropology)