Providers are failing refugees, says study

Early years providers and their staff have “very little” understanding of the issues affecting refugees, a new report claims.

Almost three-quarters of refugee women seeking child care in London were expected to communicate in English and were not offered the services of an interpreter, the research from the Refugee Women’s Association said.

The report, which surveyed 147 mothers living in 19 London boroughs, said: “Either service providers are assuming everyone understands the language and the system or they lack the resources to address this need.”

Researchers also found that a quarter of the refugee mothers used non-official child care providers.

The report, Accessing Early Years in London: Refugee Women’s Experience, called for child care training to address the needs of refugee families.