Many teachers find themselves working with immigrant and refugee learners who have complex psychosocial needs. This study examines qualitatively how 11 teachers of preparatory classes in Danish public schools approach and respond to the care needs of newcomers. Through an ethics of care lens, we show, one, how teachers care for newcomers, and two, how external support structures and individual dispositions to go beyond their teaching duty determine their care responses. We find that some teachers feel ill-equipped to address the psychosocial needs of newcomers, which, in the absence of external support, translate into feelings of stress and guilt.

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105248
ISSN: 0190-7409