‘Thank you for helping our children’: refugee families’ perspectives

Abstract

Background: Many refugee and asylum-seeker families perceive education as a gateway to a more secure future. Building literacy skills in a new language can be a way to help young people feel a greater connection with their new country and increase their chances of smooth integration. However, teachers can lack confidence when working with children and young people from refugee families, and schools are often under-resourced when it comes to meeting the needs of these learners. Purpose: A tutoring project was developed for children from a local refugee community in Scotland to support their educational achievement and sense of inclusion in school. This study sought to understand the views and perspectives of the tutored children and families. Methods: Qualitative data were collected through questionnaires and a focus group discussion. Eighteen parents and nineteen children shared their experiences. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify themes which emerged through both parent and child data. Findings: The project appeared to address areas of priority for parents, many of whom emphasised the importance of education. Data suggested a perceived positive impact on the children’s achievement and confidence in school. The children appeared to enjoy and value the tutor sessions. Relationships between tutor and child were seen as fundamental to learning and confidence. The overwhelming response from both the children and their families was one of value, appreciation and a desire for the project to continue. Conclusion: Through its engagement with the voices of the children and families involved, this study makes an important contribution to the literature on interventions for children and young people from refugee families and confirms the value of projects that support the educational development and integration of these children and young people. Research that seeks the perspectives of the children, young people and families involved is essential if we are to gather well-rounded and meaningful data on the effectiveness of such interventions.