Refugee Kids Succeed In School if Supported new study shows

[Tennis]

Despite some struggles with mental health issues, refugee children are capable of achieving similar academic success as non-refugee children if adequately supported, according to a new comprehensive review published in the journal Pediatrics.

And while emotional and behavioral problems were more common among refugee children, particularly those under the age of 10, the findings show that internalized issues, such as anxiety and depression, were more prevalent than external outbursts that affect classmates, such as aggression or hyperactivity.

“Despite the thousands of refugees resettled annually, there isn’t a lot of research exploring learning challenges of refugee children and no research at all on autism spectrum disorder, language impairments or dyslexia,” said Dr. Ripudaman Minhas, an author of the study and a developmental pediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital.

“However, the existing evidence suggests that children of refugee backgrounds have the potential to perform just as well as their peers when provided with supportive resources and even have similar rates of high school completion.”

Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, looked at data from 34 studies on learning difficulties in refugee children to identify gaps in knowledge, risk factors for lower academic outcomes and resources for success.

They found tremendous gaps — especially in early childhood data — with almost no research on refugee children in low and middle-income countries, despite 86 percent of refugees settling in those areas.

The researchers discovered that faculty in both primary and secondary schools tend to have lower expectations of refugee children. They also found that academic success among refugee children was almost always associated with supportive peer relationships; however, refugee children have quite a bit of difficulty forming such relationships and frequently experience bullying, racism, and discrimination.

There is also a higher incidence of attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) in refugee children whose parents experienced trauma, compared to those whose parents did not experience trauma. Approximately 90 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD also met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

With the arrival of 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada, many of them children, Minhas said it’s important for communities to be aware that a child’s experiences in early life significantly affect development potential, relationships, and their ability to navigate and succeed in society.

“Many refugees settled in developing or developed countries have fled situations of war, discrimination or trauma — often void of basic human rights, including consistent access to education,” said Minhas.

“Although it’s clear that refugee children’s pre-migration experiences influence their learning and can cause difficulties, some of the most important factors for success occur in the post-migration environment, many of which can be addressed in the country of settlement.”

For educators, Minhas emphasizes that refugee children be monitored and supported in light of any traumatic experiences they may have encountered. They also encourage two-way communication between educators and students for increased academic success.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2016/05...ed/103638.html

Great study here that I thought I would share.

From a world renowned research centre here in Canada. As we can see, it's really up to the countries taking in these refugees to put them in the position to succeed.

[Katie N]

Why is this news? xD

[taliey]

In other words, the best predictor of academic success is engagement.

[Xarkan]

http://psychcentral.com/news/2016/05...ed/103638.html

Great study here that I thought I would share.

From a world renowned research centre here in Canada. As we can see, it's really up to the countries taking in these refugees to put them in the position to succeed.

There is a flip side to that

In any given school like environment or country there is a limit to how much support can in fact be given. So the flip side is that in order to give refugee kids a fair chance to succeed there may be a limit to the amount of refugees a given community or country should have.

[Mormolyce]

Why is this news? xD

I assume it's here to offset the xenophobic stories about refugees we see every day.

[Cosmic Janitor]

How much does it cost and how many of our own kids could have been supported by the same measures/resources?

[vindicatorx]

I mean don't most kids who get support succeed? They needed a study to prove this?

How much does it cost and how many of our own kids could have been supported by the same measures/resources?

That and how many of your own kids will get overlooked at colleges because of all the minority refugee kids?

[Merkava]

http://psychcentral.com/news/2016/05...ed/103638.html

Great study here that I thought I would share.

From a world renowned research centre here in Canada. As we can see, it's really up to the countries taking in these refugees to put them in the position to succeed.

That's because the average age of a refugee kid is 27.

[Tennis]

That's because the average age of a refugee kid is 27.

This is false. Please stop spreading hate speech.

[Merkava]

This is false. Please stop spreading hate speech.

How is that hate speech?

[vindicatorx]

This is false. Please stop spreading hate speech.

Not really, 48% of Syrian refugees are between the ages of 25 and 54. That calling his number hate speech makes you sound stupid, you should probably look up the age demographics of the Syrian refugees before making stupid comments like that.
http://www.cpa.ca/docs/File/Cultural...%20Profile.pdf

[Deleted]

Not really, 48% of Syrian refugees are between the ages of 25 and 54.

Then they ain't kids ain't they?

[Cthulhu 2020]

Why is this news? xD

"They'll never integrate into society!"

[vindicatorx]

Then they ain't kids ain't they?

to be fair the "study" says of the kids that are 10 and under they succeed.

[kail]

Strange, I thought suppressing kids from anywhere made them succeed in school. Who knew support helps?

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

This is false. Please stop spreading hate speech.

If anyone spreads hate speech, its you.

OT: Doesn't this study make perfect sense?

[Merkava]

Well, in all seriousness, the study says they do just as good, "if supported." Does it really say how much support, and exactly what type of support? Not to be cynical, although I often am, to me it sounds a little like saying "Roofs with holes work just as good as regular roofs if the holes are fixed."

[Ryusei]

http://psychcentral.com/news/2016/05...ed/103638.html

Great study here that I thought I would share.

From a world renowned research centre here in Canada. As we can see, it's really up to the countries taking in these refugees to put them in the position to succeed.

Will you pay your own money for those 30yrs old "kids"?

[Cosmic Janitor]

"They'll never integrate into society!"

Good grades (by regurgitating simplified knowledge) does not equate integration into society. Let alone that 25k refugees - In what? 2 years? - hardly allow to paint a picture in regards to integration for either narrative.

[Lillyth]

This isnt news at all. We had several immigrant pupils in our class that succeeded together with us.