Asylum Seeker and Refugee Children Belonging, Being and Becoming: The early Childhood Educator's Role

Abstract

THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF educators from one Australian university in relation to boat people, comprising mothers and children in detention, is discussed within a Foucauldian theoretical framework. Media and political portrayal of refugees at times leads to ‘us-and-them’ conceptions of asylum seekers. This paper foregrounds the challenges of their lived experience while in detention, with a specific focus on children. The corollary highlights the pivotal role early childhood educators play when these children are granted visas and arrive in early childhood settings after years of incarceration. What belonging, being and becoming, as envisaged in the Australian Early Years Learning Framework, might mean for these children specifically as they become citizens of Australia, is examined through the findings of an action research study in a preschool and lower primary school with high refugee enrolment. Key to children's development is utilising play as the preferred pedagogy in the early years of formal schooling.

Occupational Experiences of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Resettling in Australia

“…More powerful systems are often supported through the dominant discourses, thus nurturing taken for granted standards of what society will accept and reject. Discourses, therefore may contribute to the perpetuation of hegemonic systems of power and suppression of others (Edgeworth, 2015; Maher & Smith, 2014). Individuals who are disadvantaged and marginalized in society may be positioned by the dominant discourse as undeserving or unwanted, therefore, limiting the opportunities they have to freely engage in meaningful occupations (Gerlach, 2015).…”

Practitioners’ perspectives and needs: Developing skills to support unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children (UASCs) in experiencing ‘belonging’ in English educational spaces

“…Pinson & Arnot 2010; Arnot & Swartz, 2012), teaching minority populations (e.g. Matthews, 2008; Maher, 2014), international education (e.g. Fail et al ., 2004) and social justice in education (Hayes & Skattebol, 2015)’ (Halse, 2018, p. 3).…”

Walking Several Inches Taller: Student Reflections on a University Conference on the Lived Experience of Refugee Children and Families.

“…This resonates with Turton (2003, p.8) who suggests that forced migration asks us to think about such issues as citizenship, democracy as well as to look at ourselves and consider our responsibilities to the 'stranger amongst us, on our doorstep.' As Maher & Smith (2014) assert, early educators are in a strong position to work with children and families under the guidance of our national statutory frameworks. These are enshrined in the United Nations convention of the rights of the child as being at the heart of practice and take into account the uniqueness of each child and meeting their specific needs.…”

“…Thus, a mechanism of written narrative discourse was used in order to enable students to articulate their thoughts and reflections after the conference (Harrison, Edwards & Brown, 2001). As Maher & Smith (2014) assert, citing Lather (1993), discourses around any topic are important, as they are instrumental in shaping and giving it perspective and parameters as well as defining attitudes and social assumptions.…”