Refugee-background – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

Refugee-background students in Aotearoa: Supporting successful secondary to tertiary education transitions

Background (why we did the research) Human displacement is currently at the highest level internationally since World War II. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, n.d.), the number of displaced persons has increased by more than 70 percent since 2011; in mid 2022, there were 103 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Of these, 32.5 million were refugees, and only 42,300 were resettled. Over a third of displaced people (36.5 million) were children aged under 18 years. The 1951 UN Convention for Refugees and 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees define as a refugee someone who “is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing

Strengthening belonging and identity of refugee and immigrant children through early childhood education

Introduction This project explored the role of early childhood education (ECE) and pedagogical strategies in supporting a sense of belonging and identity for refugee and immigrant children and families in Aotearoa New Zealand. We used a design-based research methodology in four culturally diverse ECE settings to develop and trial theories and strategies about how ECE can deliberately encourage refugee and immigrant children to connect with their home countries, sustain their cultural identity, and simultaneously live within and contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand. We analysed the affordances of drawing, storytelling and play, and of teacher engagement with children, parents, and whānau, for constructing pathways to belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand. The research