Support for Schools
Teachers
Schools will want to ensure that refugee children are welcomed into a safe and secure environment. As soon as a child has settled in, teachers will need to assess his/her previous learning and, if applicable, levels of English. They will plan for the maximum level of access to the curriculum, and the child's ongoing progress and well-being will be monitored. All children should learn about positive welcoming strategies and refugee issues. While most refugee children quickly settle in and begin their learning, some may need extra help to deal with their past experiences.
EMAG Co-ordinators
School staff funded by the ethnic minority achievement grant (EMAG) make a vital contribution in supporting the asylum-seeker pupils and their families. They also provide valuable advice, training and teaching support for class teachers. Finding their way around and learning English in order to make friends and access the curriculum are usually of prime importance to refugee children.
Home School Liaison Workers
A warm initial welcome, along with supportive procedures for interview and admission, will help build good communication and partnership between school and home. If refugee parents feel genuinely welcomed and are given the information and support they need, they generally show tremendous support for schools and encourage and motivate their children.
Volunteers
Volunteering is a great opportunity to 'give something back' to the local community, and a great way to make a real difference to the lives of people who are in a difficult situation. People who volunteer for us also tell us how much they get back form the experience - meeting new people, and having fun with some great children and families.
LEAs
Good practice among LEAs in to meeting their responsibilities with regard to refugee and asylum-seeker pupils includes:
- enabling access to school places
- providing training for all staff
- facilitating translation and interpreting
- managing support services
- having a clearly designated post which oversees support for the pupils
- promoting effective inter-agency links with, for example, social services and housing
(Adapted from 'The education of asylum-seeker pupils' Ofsted Oct 2003) Find out more
Friends
Salusbury WORLD is an independent charity, receiving no money at all from national or local government. We generate a small income through our training programme, but we rely on charitable trusts and other bodies and for funding for all our various activities and projects. With no fixed or guaranteed source of income, we need to apply for grants regularly. Any refusals can endanger the viability of the project as a whole. By becoming a Friend of Salusbury WORLD, you can help support the vital work that we do. Your contribution will make a definite difference to the lives of the children and their parents in our community.
Play Workers
On arrival in the UK, refugee families are often housed in poor quality, temporary accommodation that is often unsuitable and overcrowded. Many refugee children, like other children from homeless families, miss out on opportunities for play, recreation and making friends - all things that are essential for children's development. Poverty will also restrict access to such opportunities. High quality play and recreation activities for refugee children are also an important part of any work that aims to help them manage experiences of loss and change. By releasing tension and simply having fun, children can often cope better, developing their resilience.