Educational needs and experiences of refugee children in Scotland

Research report examining how public services, primarily schools but also other services such as health and social care, are meeting the educational provision needs of refugee children in Scotland. It focuses not only on the ‘formal’ aspects of education, but also the school as a site for integration for refugee children and their families.

Summary

Schools have an essential role to play in the settlement both of the children and their families.

The aim of this project was to explore how refugee children have experienced education since their arrival in Scotland.

What Works Scotland, in collaboration with Save the Children, carried out the research between July 2017 and February 2018 in four local authorities across Scotland: Aberdeenshire Council, Glasgow City Council, Edinburgh City Council, and North Lanarkshire Council.

The findings look at refugree children’s experiences of education in Scotland, their educational needs, what provision and support is in place across the different areas and how well they work together.

The report ends with recommendations for relevant services and the Scottish Government, based on the research findings and evidence from the existing literature.