Naslov
Needs in the process of refugee children’s school integration

Autori
Vrdoljak, Antonija ; Stanković, Nikolina ; Čorkalo Biruški, Dinka ; Jelić, Margareta

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, znanstveni

Skup
Annual Congress of the Swiss Society for Research in Education, SIEF

Mjesto i datum
Lausanne, Švicarska, 12.09.2022. - 13.09.2022

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
refugee children, school integration, needs in the integration process, qualitative study, multiple perspectives

Sažetak
Research on needs in education of refugee children is usually conducted either in countries with a longstanding tradition of refugee and migrant integration, or in countries with large influx of refugees. However, in light of recent shifts in traditional migration regulation reforms (e.g. Common European Asylum System), studying the integration process in “new” host countries becomes ever more important. Furthermore, previous studies are mostly related to the needs of particular groups in the school integration process, focusing specifically on the perspectives of refugee children and youth, their parents or school staff. Since all these groups are relevant informants regarding the integration of refugee children, it is necessary to consider their views and opinions simultaneously. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to examine the needs in the process of refugee children's school integration in Croatia, a small EU country with limited experience in refugee integration. To gain a better insight into this topic, perspectives of different relevant actors were considered. We conducted interviews with fifteen refugee children (aged between eight and fifteen years) enrolled in six elementary schools in Zagreb, and five of their parents. Additionally, we carried out focus group discussions with refugee children’s host-society classmates (N = 50) and school staff (teachers, school pedagogues and psychologists, N = 54). Thematic analysis was conducted, and identified themes and subthemes were viewed as needs, which encompass everything necessary for school integration to be successful, but that was deemed to be currently absent. The analysis suggests three main themes: educational, language and social needs, where each theme was connected to more specific needs arising from challenges that different actors face in the process of refugee children school integration. The results of this study indicate both similarities and differences in the needs in the school integration process in countries with different level of experience in refugee integration, and highlight the importance of exploring this issue with various stakeholders simultaneously. Finally, based on the identified needs we offer several recommendations for improving this process not only in Croatia, but other similar contexts as well.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Psihologija

POVEZANOST RADA