This article discusses the suitability of the focus group method for conducting research early in post-resettlement among refugee parents and carers in South Australia. This method was employed to uncover the refugee parenting experience in pre-resettlement contexts. There were three refugee focus groups, consisting of a Sudanese women’s group, an African men’s group, and an Afghani and Iraqi women’s group. To illustrate each group’s differential parenting ecologies in milieus of forced migration ecological matrixes were devised which are presented in the results section. An ecological matrix was also developed to unpack, code and analyse transcripts. The matrix was designed to include categories and actions so as to construct meaning units and subsequent condensed meaning units to determine the concluding themes. These provided an analytical framework with which to illuminate the constructed meanings participants attributed to their refugee parenting experiences. The findings provide insights into the ecology of the refugee parenting experience and might be of considerable importance for Australian resettlement services and state systems of child protection seeking to develop culturally appropriate and relevant services.
Currently an ecological model for conceptualizing and capturing the refugee parenting experience is lacking. After an extensive review of the literature related to the usages of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of child development, a gap was found in knowledge and research centred on describing the environment of pre-resettlement (i.e. pre-flight, flight, migration, camp) contexts and their impact on refugee parents and carer experiences. The culture of the refugee parenting experience may be characterized by disruptions in and alterations to family structure and organization; values and norms; and gender roles. This paper begins by examining the definition and usages of existing ecological frameworks in the 20th and 21st century. Particular attention is drawn to the gaps in the existing literature and an ecological model is offered. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice. The outcomes of this paper suggest the need for practitioners, policymakers and researchers to engage and develop culturally competent, relevant and appropriate interventions (i.e. reconciling differing beliefs and behaviours concerning child-rearing practices; affirming positive parenting practices of these families during engagement protocols and processes; adopting a strengths-based orientation) in the area of child protection whilst at the same time safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children within pre- and post-resettlement contexts.
Very little is known about the refugee parenting experience during pre‐resettlement contexts. The research results presented in this article are part of a larger study informing why refugee families are presenting within the South Australian system of child protection. This research developed an ecological framework with added actions for coding of transcript data which provided an analytical framework to unpack and examine overarching themes regarding cultural beliefs and values held by refugee participants on the parenting process. Outcomes of this research provide insights into the need for the development of appropriate and relevant policy, services, and practice in the area of child protection for South Australian resettlement agencies. Additional outcomes point toward a need to create an international forum, which include the UNHCR and UNICEF, to discuss the impact of refugee flight and migration on parenting, resettlement, and child welfare
Gender analysis is the first step in gender-sensitive planning for promoting gender equality.-ABC of Women Workers' Rights and Gender Equality, International Labour Organization (2000, p. 35) This article develops a critical review of the literature regarding the social construction of masculinities for African men during flight migration and the impact of these masculinities on their parenting experiences in refugee contexts. Better understanding of the sociopolitical, historical, and theoretical constructions of these masculinities and their relation to constructs of parenting will inform better service, practice, and intervention to ensure the health, well-being, and safety of children in these families. Understanding the potential mismatch of host dominant cultural views and hegemonic views of masculinity with personal and refugee migrant views will promote better health outcomes for families in these harsh, stressful, and traumatic environments. Engendering the discourse of masculinities to reflect a relationship between child protection and the experience of refugee parenting for African men in both preand post-resettlement contexts will inform culturally competent practice, intervention, and community development that is inclusive of their gender-specific needs. AbstractAccording to the literature on culturally and linguistically diverse parenting, refugee parenting practices and styles that are normative in countries of origin may not be sanctioned in Australia. In the case of refugee parenting, beliefs, practices, and values may be decentered in pre-resettlement contexts where survival becomes the primary concern. Engendering the discourse of masculinities to reflect a relationship between child protection and the experience of refugee parenting for African men in both pre-and post-resettlement contexts will inform culturally competent practice, intervention, and community development that is inclusive of their gender-specific needs. This article brings an expanded masculinities perspective to the ecology of refugee parenting for resettled African men resulting from larger research findings with focus group participants. Incorporating notions of masculinity into the child protection discourse is an attempt not only to reduce existing gender under-and misrepresentation among South Australian refugees but also to ensure greater visibility and increase the role of refugee men in the process of developing culturally relevant and appropriate policies, practices, and services to assist successful resettlement transitions while strengthening family well-being. The concept of masculinities, this article argues, must be treated as integral to any approach to working with refugees, particularly in areas that penetrate and may define the quality of their life experiences, expectations, and aspirations. Masculinities matter. Exploring refugee male perceptions, interpretations, and enactment of masculinity may unmask the differential experiences of refugee women from men and ensure the integration and operatio...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
334 Leonard St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.