Refugee family language policy and child well-being: a scoping review

Recently, family language policy (FLP) is increasingly examining factors interacting with family decision-making, including well-being. Research at the intersection of refugee families' language policies, practices, and child well-being has also grown. This area is important because displacement and resettlement can highlight vulnerability and heighten well-being challenges while refugee families address their language needs. To synthesise current findings and explore knowledge gaps, we conducted a scoping review. Five databases were systematically searched from 2004 to 2026. Out of 180 sources initially identified, nine were retained and coded for research design, participant characteristics, FLP components (ideologies, management, practices), and well-being interactions. Three themes emerged: 1) factors beyond families' (conscious) control that shaped FLP, including trauma, resettlement pressures, and schooling systems) versus more conscious FLP choices, 2) the pervasive effects of these FLP conditions on children's emotional and social well-being, and 3) reciprocal effects of well-being factors (especially social well-being) on heritage language (HL) maintenance and host country language acquisition. This review highlights the bidirectional relationship between FLP and well-being in refugee contexts, extending research on families as sites of negotiation shaped by structural constraints and lived experiences. It underscores the need for context-sensitive FLP research that more comprehensively integrates well-being dimensions.