Challenges Faced by Refugee New Parents from Africa in Canada

Abstract

This study examines challenges faced by refugee new parents from Africa in Canada. Refugee new parents from Zimbabwe (n = 36) and Sudan (n = 36) were interviewed individually about challenges of coping concurrently with migration and new parenthood and completed loneliness and trauma/stress measures. Four group interviews with refugee new parents (n = 30) were subsequently conducted. Participants reported isolation, loneliness, and stress linked to migration and new parenthood. New gender roles evoked marital discord. Barriers to health-related services included language. Compounding challenges included discrimination, time restrictions for financial support, prolonged immigration and family reunification processes, uncoordinated government services, and culturally insensitive policies. The results reinforce the need for research on influences of refugees' stressful experiences on parenting and potential role of social support in mitigating effects of stress among refugee new parents. Language services should be integrated within health systems to facilitate provision of information, affirmation, and emotional support to refugee new parents. Our study reinforces the need for culturally appropriate services that mobilize and sustain support in health and health related (e.g., education, employment, immigration) policies.

Refugees, asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants and the experience of parenthood: a synthesis of the qualitative literature

“…Another study described the experience of mothers while living in a ‘transit-country’ [ 34 ]. A number of studies examined the parenthood experience broadly [ 20 , 24 , 25 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 41 , 47 , 48 , 50 – 64 ], some were specific to the time around birth [ 65 – 70 ], and some discussed aspects related to identity and meanings of parenthood in the context of migration [ 22 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 47 , 48 , 61 , 64 , 67 , 71 – 79 ]. Some studies focused on parenthood experiences under more challenging circumstances including single parenthood [ 23 , 40 – 42 , 58 ], teenage pregnancy [ 69 , 80 – 83 ], having an undocumented or mixed status family [ 21 , 84 – 96 ], reunification with children who migrated at a later time [ 97 ], and mothering in the context of conjugal violence [ 98 – 100 ].…”

“…Asylum-seeking parents also feared separation from their children if their applications for refugee status were not accepted. They worried about being returned to an unsafe country with their children [ 24 , 25 , 81 , 82 ]. Access to services and rights, such as being allowed to work, varied depending on the receiving-country [ 24 , 25 , 68 , 81 ].…”

“…They worried about being returned to an unsafe country with their children [ 24 , 25 , 81 , 82 ]. Access to services and rights, such as being allowed to work, varied depending on the receiving-country [ 24 , 25 , 68 , 81 ]. Like undocumented families the precariousness and difficult circumstances caused strain and affected the well-being of the whole family [ 24 , 25 , 68 , 81 , 82 ].…”

“…In studies with refugee families, the main contributors to their sense of loss and to the adversity that they faced, were the forced nature of their migration and experiences of war, violence and the death of family members and friends [ 22 , 24 , 53 , 55 , 62 , 66 , 81 , 82 , 98 , 106 , 139 , 146 , 154 – 156 , 159 – 161 , 163 ]. Some refugee mothers, including unaccompanied minors, experienced parenthood as the result of rape [ 81 , 82 ].…”

Labour Market Transition: Barriers and Supports for First Generation Immigrant and Refugee Youth

“…In 2015, the unemployment rate was 13.0% for Canadian-born youth aged 15-24, whereas for immigrants in the same age group, the unemployment rate was 17.3% for youth who landed 5 or fewer years earlier and 15.6% for youth who arrived between 5 to 10 years earlier (Statistics Canada, 2016a). Immigrant youth take about ten years to start experiencing employment rates that are comparable to Canadian-born youth (Stewart et al, 2015;Statistics Canada, 2016a).…”