Resettlement Education Case Managers' Experiences Supporting Refugee Families with Children with Disabilities.
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| Title: | Resettlement Education Case Managers' Experiences Supporting Refugee Families with Children with Disabilities. |
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| Authors: | Adams, Nicole B., Santos, Rosa M. |
| Source: | Journal of Child & Family Studies. Jul2025, Vol. 34 Issue 7, p1716-1730. 15p. |
| Subjects: | Emigration & immigration & psychology, Health services accessibility, Research funding, Psychology of refugees, Interviewing, Descriptive statistics, Thematic analysis, Research methodology, Special education, Social support |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | The number of refugees displaced internationally and entering the United States (U.S.) continues to rise, with recent U.S. refugee arrivals recovering past pre-pandemic numbers. Upon resettlement in the U.S., refugees have access to resettlement staff support, including the support of education case managers (ECMs) who often support refugees resettling with children with disabilities. Many families with children with disabilities experience marginalizing systems, but the intersectional identities of refugee families with children with disabilities compounds the impact of systems that marginalize families with children with disabilities. This study utilized semi-structured interviews from a bio-ecological approach to explore what facilitated and impeded ECMs support of refugee families with young children with disabilities. Nine ECMs, located across the U.S., participated in the study. Participants identified two themes related to barriers and facilitators: (1) responsiveness of schools and agencies, and (2) professional factors. The study highlighted systemic barriers that impacted ECMs' opportunities to support refugee families to access special education supports, as well as facilitators, such as resettlement agency staff conducting developmental screenings to monitor children's progress. ECMs also described how their limited understanding of special education contributed to their abilities to support refugee families in gaining access and advocating for their child's needs. This study provides additional research about approaches, policies, and practices of resettlement agencies and educational systems that can support or impede refugee children's access to special education supports. Additionally, this study highlights implications to support ECMs' knowledge of special education and changes to policies to further support refugee families with young children. Highlights: ECMs support some refugee families with children with disabilities to access special education services, but their positions are limited due to policies and agency priorities. ECMs strongly believe that part of their jobs should be supporting refugee families to navigate special education systems, but they are often limited in their education, which can adversely impact families' access to inclusive educational opportunities. ECMs described differences between resettlement agencies and schools in their use of culturally responsive approaches and interpreters, thus impacting refugee families' experiences with each agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The number of refugees displaced internationally and entering the United States (U.S.) continues to rise, with recent U.S. refugee arrivals recovering past pre-pandemic numbers. Upon resettlement in the U.S., refugees have access to resettlement staff support, including the support of education case managers (ECMs) who often support refugees resettling with children with disabilities. Many families with children with disabilities experience marginalizing systems, but the intersectional identities of refugee families with children with disabilities compounds the impact of systems that marginalize families with children with disabilities. This study utilized semi-structured interviews from a bio-ecological approach to explore what facilitated and impeded ECMs support of refugee families with young children with disabilities. Nine ECMs, located across the U.S., participated in the study. Participants identified two themes related to barriers and facilitators: (1) responsiveness of schools and agencies, and (2) professional factors. The study highlighted systemic barriers that impacted ECMs' opportunities to support refugee families to access special education supports, as well as facilitators, such as resettlement agency staff conducting developmental screenings to monitor children's progress. ECMs also described how their limited understanding of special education contributed to their abilities to support refugee families in gaining access and advocating for their child's needs. This study provides additional research about approaches, policies, and practices of resettlement agencies and educational systems that can support or impede refugee children's access to special education supports. Additionally, this study highlights implications to support ECMs' knowledge of special education and changes to policies to further support refugee families with young children. Highlights: ECMs support some refugee families with children with disabilities to access special education services, but their positions are limited due to policies and agency priorities. ECMs strongly believe that part of their jobs should be supporting refugee families to navigate special education systems, but they are often limited in their education, which can adversely impact families' access to inclusive educational opportunities. ECMs described differences between resettlement agencies and schools in their use of culturally responsive approaches and interpreters, thus impacting refugee families' experiences with each agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10621024 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10826-024-02965-1 |
