Towards effective home communication for better school attendance: a study with the Somali community (Sharing our experience, Practitioner-led research 2008-2009; PLR0809/087)

Abstract

This is a study of the intergenerational tensions within the Somali refugee community in Camden, London. A series of focus groups and video diaries were undertaken in order to better understand the communication problems between parents and children in the Somali community. The study was a partnership between the Camden Education Welfare Service and the Somali Youth Development Resource Centre. The key aims of the research were: ♣ to identify interventions that can facilitate better communication between generations in order to improve school attendance from pupils within the Somali community ♣ to elicit the drivers and barriers of communication across the generations of Somali young women ♣ to explore ways of bridging communication barriers ♣ to explore how integrated working could help better reach hard-to-reach communities. The key findings of the project include the gender roles disparities between parents and young women as well as the language barriers, differing life expectations, conflicting values and educational aspirations. A complex picture of the challenging relationships between home, school and pupil emerged through the study, as well as examples of the ways in which integrated working could help engage marginalized communities in accessing services