Caring in crisis: family dynamics and child wellbeing in Rohingya refugee camps

For Rohingya families living in the world's largest refugee camps, the perinatal period unfolds under conditions of profound insecurity and deprivation, despite being a critical developmental window that reshapes family dynamics and lays the foundation for child outcomes. Guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) Nurturing Care Framework-which emphasizes the interdependence of health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and safety-we conducted collaborative family interviews, semi-structured interviews with mothers and fathers, and Life Story Board activities with school-aged children across 32 families to examine how caregiving is negotiated during this sensitive period. Findings revealed three interconnected themes: (1) parent-child wellbeing strained by chronic stress, trauma, and structural constraints; (2) intensified resource scarcity that heightens worries about food, healthcare, education, and equitable caregiving; and (3) shifting family dynamics in which older siblings-especially girls-assume significant caregiving and economic roles as parental capacities are stretched. Despite these pressures and clear gaps across the nurturing care domains, families demonstrated notable adaptability, moral commitment, and resilience in supporting their children. The results underscore the urgent need for holistic, contextually grounded interventions that bolster caregiver wellbeing, address structural barriers, and strengthen family systems in protracted displacement settings.