Asylum seekers and newly arrived foreign-born mothers and their children are some of the most vulnerable groups in Swedish society. More often than not, they face psychological illness, socio-economic vulnerability and social exclusion. In this new report on the 'Strong mothers - safe children' project (a national three-year parental support project aimed at newly arrived single mothers and their children), Save the Children Sweden examines how these mothers view their own and their children's living conditions.

As well as the experiences and opinions of the mothers interviewed, the report builds on previous research and publicly available statistics, placing the mothers' narratives within the broader social, economic and welfare policy context. Its conclusions include the following four focus areas:

• Financial vulnerability - Living with limited financial resources and supporting children alone is a challenge for the mothers. The consequence of a low daily allowance for asylum seekers in Sweden is that these children risk living in poverty during a particularly crucial phase of their lives. Irregular working hours and difficulties with childcare are highlighted as problems that make it difficult for mothers to gain a foothold on the labor market.
• A precarious housing situation - The housing situation is experienced as very stressful, especially for the children. Several mothers stated that they feel they did not receive a proper explanation as to why it was necessary for them to move between different locations during their asylum process, and that little consideration is given to how having to change place of living affects the children. 
• Protracted asylum processes - Living through protracted asylum processes or having been refused a residence permit but being unable to leave Sweden contributes to a situation of great powerlessness and frustration for these mothers.
• Community and hope - The women describe the social community created by the group meetings run by Strong mothers - Safe children as a lifeline. There, they support each other, take a break from their personal problems and partake in fun activities with their children.

Picture source: Saman Saidi, Rädda Barnen, 'Strong mothers - safe children' project, 2023