Mary-Rose Puttick

1. ‘Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood’ Module – Level 6, BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies Refugee and ‘New Migrant’ Families Mary-Rose Puttick

2. Teaching / research context Teaching background: • 6 years ESOL (English as a Second Language) • 6 years Family Literacy to migrant parents in Manchester • Currently volunteer teaching at 2 refugee venues in B’ham Research background: • MA Applied Linguistics - research on Somali refugee families • Currently PhD research – exploring influences of migration and motherhood on experiences of migrant women in Family Literacy classes

3. Aims of session - questions • What do you understand by the terms ‘asylum seeker’, ‘refugee’ and ‘new migrant’? • What are the key legislation / policies relating to refugee and new migrant families? • What are some of the main challenges for refugee and new migrant families? • What theoretical perspectives could you use to analyse these challenges?

4. Key terminology: MIGRATION PROCESS • Culture: ‘shared features which encapsulate people together in a community’ (Shah, 2003). • Acculturation: ‘cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture’.* • Diaspora: ‘the dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland’.* • Intergenerational: ‘relating to, involving, or affecting several generations’.* (*Oxford Dictionary definitions)

5. Diasporic and multi-cultural identities

6. Question… What is the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee?

7. Key terminology: MIGRATION STATUSES • Asylum seeker: ‘a person who has left their country of origin and formally applied for asylum in another country but whose application has not yet been concluded’. • Economic migrant: ‘someone who has moved to another country to work. Refugees are not economic migrants’. • Spouse visa: ‘someone who has moved to the UK to join their spouse who is a British citizen or has Indefinite Leave to Remain’. • Refugee: “A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail him/herself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his/her former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.” The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees Ref: 2016 Refugee Council definitions

8. Key terminology: MIGRATION STATUSES • ‘New Migrant’: ‘Asylum seekers; refugees; migrants from the eight central and eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004; and other migrant groups who have arrived in the UK within the last ten years. Migrants who have been here for longer periods are described as settled or established.’ Ref: Institute for Public Policy Research (2007)

9. Asylum process in the UK: UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office) Refugee status: ‘Leave to Remain’ for 5 years After 5 years can apply for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ *In the UK, a person is officially a refugee when they have their claim for asylum accepted by the government. Ref: https://www.loc.gov/law/help/refugee-law/unitedkingdom.php

10. Additional refugee process: ‘The gateway programme’ • Operated by United Kingdom Visas & Immigration (UKVI) in conjunction with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) • Route for up to 750 refugees to settle in UK • Applications made to UNHCR in country where they are operating who then refers suitable applications to UKVI • Accepted applicants arrive in UK and supported by programmes with specific local authorities and NGOs

11. Unaccompanied refugee children • Unaccompanied children are looked after by local authorities until the age of 18 being placed in either supported accommodation or foster homes. • In response to the Calais Camp closure the Home Office have issued key urgent requests for local authorities including: 1. emergency foster care or other suitable placements 2. viability assessments of family placements

12. How many asylum applications are approved? • Facts: • Britain is host to less than 1% of the world’s refugees. (UNHCR Global Trends 2015) • Britain has received just 3% of all asylum claims made in the EU so far in 2016.(Eurostat 2016) • Poor countries shelter the vast majorityof the world’s refugees: 86% live in developing countries.(UNHCR Global Trends 2015)

13. Theoretical framework: Bronfenbrenner MACROSYSTEM attitudes ideologies EXOSYSTEM • MESOSYSTEM industry social services MICROSYSTEM peers family INDIVIDUAL e.g. sex, age, health church school neighbours mass media health service local politics Adapted from: Bronfenbrenner (1979) Ecological Systems Theory

14. Theoretical frameworks ‘Model of refugee adaptation and development’ Post-migration ecology Trans-migration ecology Pre-migration ecology Adapted from: Anderson et al. (2004)

15. Post-migration:Support and accommodation Asylum seekers • Cannot claim mainstream welfare benefits • Not allowed to work • Those who meet certain criteria can apply to UKVI for support in form of accommodation and cash Refugees • Asylum support stops 28 days after refugee status granted (cash stops & have to move house) • Get permission to work in UK • Can apply for welfare benefits whilst looking for work • Need to obtain N.I. number and open bank account

16. Birmingham City of Sanctuary Ref: https://birmingham.cityofsanctuary.org/resources

17. ‘post-migration’:STATUTORY LEGISLATION • What are some of the key legislation / policies to take into account when considering the UK context for migrant parents and children?

18. Post-migration:STATUTORY LEGISLATION: PARENTS & CHILDREN • 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees • The Human Rights Act 1998 • Equality Act 2010 • Children and Families Act 2014 • Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 • The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 • Early Years Foundation Stage & National Curriculum

19. Applying theory How has the migration process constructed Manar’s cultural identity and her perceptions of childhood? Post-migration ecology Trans-migration ecology Pre-migration ecology Adapted from: Anderson et al. (2004)

20. Applying theory:Video 1 ‘Manar’s story’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/34262108 (Ref: ‘Manar’s Story’. www.bbc.co.uk/newsround)

21. Applying theory How has the migration process constructed Manar’s cultural identity and her perceptions of childhood? Post-migration ecology Trans-migration ecology Pre-migration ecology Adapted from: Anderson et al. (2004)

22. PRE-TRANS-POST MIGRATION: Environmental & societal influences on culture / play

23. PRE-TRANS-POST MIGRATION:Play across cultural contexts time space / environmentobjects playmates gender adult role models cultural attitudes towards play / traditions ‘Culture flows throughout play activities…’ Ref: Gosso & Carvalho, 2013

24. Post-video questions… • How could we use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to analyse differences in the experiences of refugee children such as Manar and her siblings from pre to post migration?

25. UN Convention on the rights of the child Article 5 (Parental guidance and a child’s evolving capacities) Article 3 (Best interests of the child) Article 22 (Refugee children): Children have the right to special protection and help if they are refugees (if they have been forced to leave their home and live in another country), as well as all the rights in this Convention Article 2 (Non-discrimination) Article 27 (Adequate standard of living) Article 23 (Children with disabilities)

26. Applying theory:Critical discourse analysis Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): ‘Critical Discourse Analysis is a type of discourse analytical research that primarily studies the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context.’ (Teun van Dijk, The Handbook of Discourse Analysis)

27. Trans/Post migration: migrancy discourses

28. Trans / POST MIGRATION: migrancy discourses

29. Key terminology: MIGRATION STATUSES • Gypsy, Roma, Traveller: ‘a collective term used to describe a wide variety of cultural and ethnic groups. There are many ways in which ethnicity may be established: these include language, nomadic way of life, and crucially, self-identification’ (Ref: National Association of Teachers of Travellers & Other Professionals)

30. Applying theory:Critical discourse analysis Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): ‘Critical Discourse Analysis is a type of discourse analytical research that primarily studies the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context.’ (Teun van Dijk, The Handbook of Discourse Analysis) • How can we critically analyse the educational experiences of Roma children in Slovakia using a CDA approach?

31. Applying theoryVideo 2: ‘roma child segregation in European schools’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uLW8L6NnHM (Ref: Amnesty International)

32. Applying theory:Critical discourse analysis Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): ‘Critical Discourse Analysis is a type of discourse analytical research that primarily studies the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context.’ (Teun van Dijk, The Handbook of Discourse Analysis) • How can we critically analyse the educational experiences of Roma children in Slovakia using a CDA approach?

33. Connecting to theory: maslow’shierarchy of needs http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow-pyramid.jpg

34. Questions… • From your own experiences of working in early years settings, what kinds of challenges do you think early years practitionersexperience with regard to refugee and new migrant children? parents?

35. From MA research TO Phd … What cultural and linguistic challenges do Somali parents experience in communication with their child’s primary school? Linguistic barriersCultural barriers • misunderstandings around British laws, e.g. safeguarding / FGM • lack of understanding around educational procedures, e.g. attendance, punctuality & achievement measures • differences in way conflict traditionally dealt with • cultural differences between parents and children, e.g. discipline measures • intergenerational communication difficulties due to differences in first languages • misunderstandings resulting from children mistranslating feedback from teachers • some parents unable to tell time, read numbers or letters • some parents not accessing school information (Ref: Puttick, 2016)

36. EYFS: key principles for eal children and parents: • parents are the ‘first educators’ and a crucial and valuable source of information with regards to the child’s prior educational experiences and language learning • the home language is valued • the learning environment must reflect the child’s cultural and linguistic heritage Ref: ‘Inclusion & the EYFS profile’ (2014)

37. key findings regarding roma children and parents: In traditional Gypsy, Roma and Traveller homes: • children learn through participation rather than by decontextualized verbal explanation • learning entails temporal and spatial freedom, not always possible at school • learning takes place on an intergenerational basis, in contrast to the fixed peer group experience encountered in schools • learning tends to be collaborative, rather than competitive, and does not involve testing • learning allows children opportunities to work autonomously and to acquire status from an early age Ref: ‘Moving Forward Together’ (2009)

38. Video 3 (preparation for workshop): Refugee crisis and young children Source: Times Educational Supplement https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/sesame-street-characters-deliver-early-years-education-refugee

39. Aims of session - questions • What do you understand by the terms ‘asylum seeker’, ‘refugee’ and ‘new migrant’? • What are the key legislation / policies relating to refugee and new migrant families? • What are some of the challenges for refugee and new migrant families? • What theoretical perspectives could you use to analyse these challenges?

40. Further information • Refugee Council: http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk • Student Action for Refugees: http://www.star-network.org.uk • Asylum Aid: http://www.asylumaid.org.uk/the-asylum-process-made-simple • ICAR –Information Centre about Asylum Seekers & Refugees: http://icar.livingrefugeearchive.org/ • Birmingham New Communities Network: http://www.bncn.org.uk/ • Volunteering: mary-rose.puttick@bcu.ac.uk

41. Further reading • Department for Children, Schools & Families (2009). Moving Forward Together: Raising Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Achievement. Book 4. • Hamilton, R., & Moore, D. (2004). Educational Interventions for Refugee Children. London: Psychology Press. • Kupzyk, S. S., Banks, B. M. & Chadwell, M. R., 2016. Collaborating with Refugee Families to Increase Early Literacy Opportunities: a Pilot Investigation. Contemporary School Psychology, 20(3). • Puttick, M., 2016. A fine balance: cultural and linguistic barriers shaping the lives of Somali refugee families in Manchester. Language Issues, 27(1), pp. 5-12. • Robinson, K. H. & Jones-Diaz, C., 2006. Diversity and difference in early childhood education: issues for theory and practice. s.l.:Open University Press. • Signorelli, R. G., Coello, M. & Momartin, S., 2015. Change and Recovery: Culturally Appropriate Early Childhood Programmes with Refugee Families and Communities. Children Australia, 40(3), pp. 195-204. • Whitmarsh, J., 2011. Othered voices: asylum-seeking mothers and early years education. European Early Childhood Research Journal, 19(4), pp. 535-551.

42. Workshop Questions… • Based on your pre-reading and the lecture, what kinds of challenges do you think children 0 -5 experience whilst settling in the UK? Think about….. Social Cultural Educational • How can early years education support these needs for the child? • What resources could be used in the classroom?

43. Workshop Questions… • What kinds of challenges do you think refugee families as a wholeexperience whilst settling in the UK? • What support mechanisms do you think are important to support refugee families?