Supporting refugee families in Australia

This Research to Practice issue explores the challenges experienced by refugee families resettling in Australia; the informal and formal supports they access and barriers to these supports; the characteristics of supportive services and implications for policy and practice.  It was based on a study which aimed to provide in-depth and contextualised data about how services may better support refugee parents to care for their children; and included interviews with families with a refugee background; and a national online survey of Commonwealth funded service providers supporting refugee families. By developing a better understanding of the social supports, resources and connections required by refugee children and their parents to support positive parenting and family relationships, this project contributes to the development of more responsive and integrated social policy and service delivery. This study was undertaken by the Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University; and the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia; on behalf of the Department of Social Services.&nbsp