Mapping and overcoming integration challenges for migrant children

Topic description

Specific Challenge:

At a time where the integration of refugee and migrant children into host societies is most pressing, education systems face multiple challenges due to growing cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity and to socio-economic inequalities.

Research and Innovation Action (2018):

Proposals should generate quantitative and qualitative data and policy recommendations on the integration in schools of pupils (ISCED 0-3) from existing migration cohorts, children of refugees and asylum seekers, and unaccompanied minors, including those residing in hotspots and reception centres. They should take account of the complexity of pupils' background, including of children who are EU long-term residents with migration background and of newcomers, and should assess issues related to gender, identity, achievement, well-being, home-school links and discrimination among others. Ethnological, cultural, and anthropological perspectives should be included. Social and learning environments should be considered as well as strategies to promote resilience, avoid segregation and to enhance children's skills and well-being. Proposals can take an integrated approach, looking at how access to adequate housing, a decent standard of living, protection from all forms of abuse and exploitation, healthcare and psychosocial support, alternative pedagogical approaches and arts affect successful integration in schools. Proposals should also address (several of) the following issues: the time elapsed between arrival to Europe and access to education; year(s) spent out of education as a child; experiences of detention and deportation; governance and funding; roles and attitudes of families, communities, educational centres, civil society and local services, also from a gender perspective; preparedness of schools and teaching staff; language learning and multilingualism; educational and vocational opportunities for those who arrive past the age of compulsory schooling, as well as the role of extra-curricular activities (including sports and leisure) in promoting integration. Refugee and migrant children’s lived experience and voice must be taken into account in line with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the rights of the child. Best practices supporting equal life-chances should be identified with the involvement of stakeholders, maximising the potential of existing experiences^[1], including those developed in cooperation with refugee and migrant scholars and scientists.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the order of EUR 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Innovation Action (2020):

Building on existing evidence, including from projects funded under topic Migration-6 2018 where relevant, proposals should implement pilot actions able to experiment formal, informal and non-formal education solutions to address the integration challenges of children (0 to 18 years old - ISCED 0-3) from recent migration cohorts, in particular children of refugees and asylum seekers, and unaccompanied minors, including those residing in hotspots and reception centres. The proposals shall include actions with local schools, teaching programmes and organizations working with children (with or without migration background) and focus not only on formal educational settings but also on informal social and learning environments, beyond schools. Proposals should address at least three of the following dimensions: governance and funding of education institutions, funding of integration actions targeting children, roles and attitudes of families, gender aspects, communities, civil society organisations and local service providers, preparedness of schools and teaching staff, practices for language learning and use of native languages alongside the language used at school. Proposals should build upon good practices identified with the involvement of stakeholders such as e.g. practices of mutual cultural participation and exchange, or equal opportunities in regards to gender. Attention should be paid to existing educational centres around Europe which having high rates of migrant and ethnic-minority children are achieving academic results above national averages, as well as how the issues already mentioned are being articulated.

Proposals should address at least 3 of the points above, piloted on the basis of clearly defined goals. Processing of personal data of migrants must be conducted in accordance with EU data protection legislation^[2] and existing regulation such as eIDAS[1].

Proposals should engage all actors and consider the potential for co-creation work with all relevant stakeholders, including migrant children and their families themselves, in the design and delivery of services. In addition, proposals should demonstrate their reusability or scalability and should develop a strong and realistic plan to ensure the long-term sustainability as well as take up of the results by the identified users. The involvement of multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral teams is encouraged to explore the complexity of this challenge, to identify the necessary changes, and the risks and barriers to their implementation, addressing diversity as appropriate (gender, age, social-, cultural-, linguistic-, religious background). Proposals shall combine strong academic knowledge and research-action based support, with stakeholders and practitioners knowledge in the several fields identified above. Children voice must be taken into account in line with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the rights of the child.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of EUR 3 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

(2018)

Through informing policymakers, families, children themselves, teachers and other stakeholders, the action will support the advancement of effective practices for integrating migrant children in schools. The action will enhance synergies and cooperation amongst the relevant stakeholders, thereby promoting the uptake of innovative practices as well as improving monitoring and data collection. The action will also contribute to the development of the research agenda on education.

(2020):

The actions will inform policymakers, families, teachers and other stakeholders on effective practices for integrating migrant children in schools and more broadly in society, and for developing more inclusive schools, able to increase sense of belonging of all children, including both boys and girls. They will enhance synergies and cooperation amongst these actors for the uptake of innovative practices, for monitoring and data collection and for the definition of research gaps. Proposals should develop and implement actions which can be adapted, rescaled and reproduced in different environments according to the local/regional needs and involve stakeholders from public administrations, civil society, migrants and the host community from a very early stage as appropriate.

Socio-economic science and humanities
Gender
Open Innovation
Socio-economic science and humanities

[1]For instance, data and insights from the EU Education and Training Monitor and from the European Policy Network on the education of children and young people with a migration background (SIRIUS).

[2]https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504&from=EN