Children from refugee backgrounds are less likely than children from the general population to participate equitably in quality early childhood educational programs such as kindergarten. Children who do not participate are at elevated risk of not succeeding in the formal education system (Brooks-Gunn & Markman, 2005, Sims et al., 2014; Thorpe et al., 2011). They run the risk of exclusion in their teenage years, which may lead to acculturation stress (Khawaja & Milner, 2012), limited coping strategies, limited access to higher education and employment, and reduced financial opportunities (Brough, Gorman, Ramirez, & Westoby, 2003; Gorman, Brough, & Ramirez, 2003).
The purpose of this study was to discover strengths-based strategies currently used by family support workers and early childhood educators to assist families with refugee experience to overcome access and participation barriers ultimately leading to social inclusion, maintenance of cultural and linguistic identity and effective cross-cultural integration within the context of a diverse society. By drawing upon examples of partnership models, participatory frameworks and community development strategies, the study explored current access barriers, examples of promising practice, a range of practical strategies that practitioners can implement, and future steps required to facilitate equitable participation at a population level.
This qualitative study was located in three areas of South East Queensland including the Logan, South Brisbane and Toowoomba/Lockyer Valley regions. It was conducted through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 40 participants consisting of parents of young children from refugee backgrounds, family support workers and kindergarten teachers who had direct experience working with families from refugee backgrounds. Participants were sourced through seven organisations funded through the Pre-Kindergarten Grants Program 2013-2016, an initiative of the Queensland Dept. Education.
