EXTERNALLY FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
Family and domestic violence in migrant and refugee communities: Amplifying children’s voices and empowering communities in South Australia
Background
Migrant and refugee community leaders and service providers have identified family and domestic violence (FDV) as an important settlement support priority, highlighted particularly during the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the exacerbation of settlement stressors. Children from migrant and refugee backgrounds may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of FDV due to pre-existing trauma, in the case of refugees, and post-settlement stressors for both migrants and refugees.
Aim
This project aims to:
• provide an overview of programs and service provider perspectives on FDV and children in migrant and refugee communities
• consult with refugee and migrant children who are exposed to, or at risk of, FDV about their support needs
• provide evidence-based recommendations for FDV prevention and support programs for migrant and refugee children informed by their perspectives as well as broader community priorities.
Methods
The project is conducted in partnership with the Australian Refugee Association, Relationships Australia SA, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia, the African Women’s Federation of SA, Federation of African Communities Council of Australia and Middle Eastern Communities Council of SA. The project is guided by a project Reference Group comprising members of partner organisations, other service providers and community leaders.
The study comprises five overlapping stages:
1) Audit of Australian FDV programs.
2) Interviews with community educators (N=20).
3) Survey of service providers (N=~200).
4) Consultation with migrant and refugee children (N=32-40 children).
5) Workshop with service providers, policy makers and community members (N=50).
We will undertake an audit of FDV prevention programs in Australia to examine their consideration of impacts on migrant and refugee children and explore models of support. This audit will highlight the extent to which migrant and refugee children are specifically included in FDV prevention and support programs, and where they are included, it will help illuminate key features of specialised programs and what might be missing.
The Australian Refugee Association has established a community educator program in migrant and refugee communities, training community leaders to raise awareness and develop community-informed initiatives to reduce FDV. We will undertake interviews with CFC educators to examine their experiences, responses of community members to their initiatives, and views on the needs of children in their communities in relation to FDV.
To examine the views of national providers about impacts of FDV in migrant and refugee communities on children and young people, we will undertake an online survey (with closed and open questions) with service providers across settlement and FDV sectors.
We will undertake four focus groups in South Australia with migrant and refugee children aged 13-17 exposed to or at risk of FDV. Depending on safety and confidentiality concerns, we will conduct individual interviews if necessary. Interviews and focus groups will explore impacts of FDV, risk and protective factors and support needs.
We will present the findings at a workshop involving service providers, community leaders and (where appropriate) migrant and refugee children and will co-develop appropriate policy and practice recommendations for FDV prevention and support programs.