The project aimed to overcome the research gap into the mental health support needs of refugee and migrant children with disabilities and their carers, to articulate any differences in experiences, identify barriers to service access, and highlight examples of good practice.
Prior studies had shown that children from migrant and refugee backgrounds are likely to experience disrupted education, dislocation and intergenerational trauma and separation from family members, which can affect their psychological and physical wellbeing and development, but little research had been conducted to understand the experience of children with disability.
The project delivered policy recommendations and academic papers on how organisations and government could better support the mental health and wellbeing of migrant and refugee children with disability and their carers.
At Novita, this work informed more equitable service provision for clients from migrant and refugee backgrounds and recommendations to improve supports and wellbeing for these families.
More information on the Growing Up Well in a New Country research project can be found here – Growing up well