Serving refugee children and families in Head Start

Children Today, Sept-Oct, 1989 by Connie Broughton

Refugees move through a timetable of identifiable adjustments: from panic and shock during their escape; through grief, fear, cultural shock, role adjustments and re-education; to realization, acceptance and, finally, determination and hope. Some of these adjustments must be made more than once as the family moves from refugee camp to sponsored American life to independence. Every cultural, familial and human aspect of their selves will be provoked. The importance of accessible mental health services cannot be overemphasized.

Working with Families

The weekly Adult Learning Labs are a cornerstone of the early intervention program. In addition to learning such life skills as how to count money, read bills, administer antibiotics, use disposable diapers and celebrate American holidays, the parents take field trips to the laundromat, the hospital emergency room, the library and potential job sites.

Since refugee parents often have trouble adapting their diets to what is available in our grocery stores, the learning labs also feature hands-on cooking sessions in which parents learn how to select foods and prepare balanced meals. A highlight of the program is a meal for Head Start staff and families that is planned, purchased and prepared by the refugee parents. The families enjoy exposing others to their cuisines - and in the process, they learn about American tastes (most Americans find the Ethiopian and Southeast Asian foods too hot) and about each other (the Hmong and Eritrean families discovered that they used the same kind of red peppers).

Another popular activity is a rummage sale, using fake money but real "rummage," thus enabling the parents to practice using money while they "buy" the things they need.

Using Available Resources

Refugee families naturally group together, and Head Start staff found it effective to first approach the group leaders or spokespersons. This is especially important in those cultures with a tribal or strongly patriarchal system. Sometimes it takes careful study to identify the accepted leaders.

The Bancroft Early Intervention Program draws on many resources in the community, including churches (many of which have sponsored refugee families), resettlement agencies, the food bank, the county health department, neighborhood centers, and many other social services. Some organizations are attuned to the needs of refugees and others are not; Head Start has tried to be a catalyst or to coordinate services for families.

Since the public schools are often the first point of contact for refugee families, the schools have been a valuable resource, often providing translators and social services.

The local community mental health center has a Southeast Asian counselor and offers special services for refugees, including bilingual mental health paraprofessionals trained by the State of Washington.

In addition to these resources, staff members have found it useful to read as much as possible about refugee issues in the U.S. and to familiarize themselves with the cultures and recent histories of the native countries of Spokane's refugee families.