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BackgroundThe social integration of children with an immigrant background has become one of the most urgent social responsibilities in Germany. They are more likely to live in high-risk environments and are disadvantaged with respect to health related variables as well as educationally. Quite a number of projects supporting their integration into the German society exist although many are hardly scientifically evaluated. Most of them focus on the acquisition of German language and therefore address older children (and adults). However, international experts agree that social integration is not only a matter of language but also of earlier developmental processes of children in their first months of life connected to adequate early parenting.Methods/DesignThe model project FIRST STEPS focuses on earliest prevention for children with an immigrant background, supporting their parents in the critical phase of migration and early parenthood. In a prospective randomized comparison group design the effectiveness of a psychoanalytically oriented early prevention program (intervention A) is compared to the outcomes of groups offered by paraprofessionals with an immigrant background (intervention B). Intervention A is a professional offer supporting immigrant families based on developmental psychological and on knowledge on early parenting. 180 families are randomly assigned to intervention A or B. They are supported during the first 3 years of the children’s lives. Social and family stressors, the quality of the parent–child-interaction, child attachment security, the affective, cognitive and social-emotional development of the children and the social integration of the families are assessed during and after the intervention.DiscussionThe project aims at evaluating the implementation as well as the short- and long-term effectiveness of psychoanalytically oriented intervention A compared to the outcomes of intervention B. It is expected that professionally supported early parenting (intervention A) improves the social-emotional, cognitive and language development of immigrant children as well as the social integration of their families to a greater extent than in the comparison groups. In case the model project proves to be effective, a rollout across Germany is possible. Due to the “difficult-to-reach” immigrant families challenges in recruitment, uptake and retention of participants are anticipated.Trial registrationDRKS-ID: DRKS00004632, trial registration date: 05.02.2013

Almost every child in Kurdistan‐Iraq is currently growing up as the son or daughter of survivors of collective persecution and genocidal activity carried out during Saddam Hussein's regime. The aim of this study is to communicate first impressions of the second generation's situation and to examine possible effects of transgenerational transmission of unprocessed trauma. Based on fieldwork and interviews with parents who experienced torture and chemical attacks and their adolescent children, strong indications of unprocessed traumatizations were found on the parents' side. They are irritable and show dysfunctional parenting behavior in the form of physical abuse. Indications for boundary blurring and parentification as well as psychological burden – including problems with studying and dysphoric mood – were found among the children. Politicians and professionals in Kurdistan‐Iraq need to be aware of possible transmission of parents' traumatic experiences to their children and should provide adequate services.

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