Syrian Refugee Families with Young Children: An Examination of Strengths and Challenges During Early Resettlement
Abstract
With the arrival of a large number of Syrian families to Canada, educators and other service
providers are reflecting on best practices to support the psychosocial adaption of refugees from
conflict settings. This article draws on a study and model that examined the psychosocial adaptation of Syrian refugee families with young children in Western Canada. The name of the model is RAISED between Cultures. The acronym stands for Reveal culture, Acknowledge pre-migration experiences, Identify post-migration systemic barriers, Support family and community strengths, Establish connections between environments, and Determine child outcomes together with families. Study focused on the role of cultural brokers in facilitating the adaptation of Syrian refugee families, our results provide evidence for the application of the model for educators and other school personnel. As key figures in refugee children and families’ adaptation to their host country, educators can draw on these findings to identify families’ and children’s’ strengths and challenges during early resettlement to ensure positive child outcomes.
Notes
Location
Edmonton, Alberta
Key findings
Using RAISED between Cultures model in education and settlement support:
Reveal culture
Acknowledge pre-migration experiences
Identify post-migration systemic barriers
Support family and community strengths
Establish connections between environments
Determine child outcomes together with families.
Challenges of the model included: language (not knowing English), ongoing safety issues, equitable access to services, and social isolation.
Strengths of the model: language (maintaining strong familial and community connections though language, which leads to better overall wellbeing, during early resettlement), social connection as a common strength and individual/family resilience.
Key populations
Syrian refugees, cultural brokers
Community organizations
Multicultural Health Broker’s Cooperative (MCHB)
Gaps identified
NA
Integration timeline
At what point during the integration process the study was conducted?
Syrian families who had been in Canada from three months to 2 years.
Open-access – Yes
https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/jcie/index.php/JCIE/article/view/29356/21377
Key recommendations