Finding Security and Safety in Schools

Abstract

I w as n 't lo o k in g for s y m p a th y or pity. 1 was just look in g for equality. (Jamil, Year 10 refugee boy, C ity S ch o ol) O n e o f th e m a in c o n c e r n s o f social and edu cation al research in th e field has b e e n th e effects o f different g o v e rn m e n t p olicies and services o n th e in te g ratio n o f ASR c h ild re n in th e UK. C on cern s, for exam ple, have been expressed a b o u t th e negative c on seq u en ces of im m ig ration policy on ASR child ren's exp erien ces w ithin e d u c a tio n .1 As a result of dispersal, for exam p le, a p atte rn o f d isru ption and d iscon tin u ity, a ccord in g to M cD on ald (1 9 9 8) o ften features in their education. In addition they ex p e -rience th e c o n tin u o u s c h a n g es in asylum procedures and especially th e growing use of welfare restriction as a m ean s o f con trol and deterrence (w h ich we d o c u m e n te d in C h a p ter 4). As a result o f tig h te n in g con trols, ASR ch ild ren are m o r e likely to ex perience poverty, m o b ility 2 and u n c e r -tain ty in relatio n to th e ir future, w h ic h in turn m ig h t affect their ability to access edu cation , and to b en efit from it. In effect, hav in g parents w h o hav e restricted access to th e welfare state and w h o, in ad dition, are n o t allowed to work, positions asylum -seeking children socially and e c o n o m -ically as a n underclass. Indeed , m a n y ASR ch ild ren have reported th at th ey experienced a n un satisfactory standard o f living, including financial hardship and in a d eq u a te a c co m m o d a tio n (C andappa, 2002). T h e natio n a l inv isib ility o f ASR y o u th in g o v e rn m e n t p la n n in g and f u n d in g and th e lack o f records about such studen ts at local level can also jeopardise th eir full rights to education. As well, th e ex te n t to w hich ASR studen ts are aware o f e x istin g services and their ability to m ak e best use o f such services c a n b e a m a jo r factor sh ap in g their edu catio nal careers. Candapp a and Egharevba's study (2 0 0 0) o f th e social and school lives o f ASR c h ild re n in and arou nd L o n do n illustrated th e c o n s id er a b le 141