A new Discussion Paper: Immigrant Serving Agencies’ Perspective on the Issues and Needs of Immigrant and Refugee Children in Canada, by Dr Susan Chuang, University of Guelph and the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance (CISSA).
From the Executive Summary:
While immigrant and refugee children and youth are not usually apart of the decision to emigrate and/or flee their home country (in the case of refugees) once in Canada, most federally funded immigrant settlement programs and services target adults. There is a growing consensus across Canada among service providers, school boards and broad based youth mandated agencies that much more must be done to adequately support immigrant and refugee children and youth. Over the past 15 years in particular, immigrant serving agencies (ISAs) across Canada have responded. ISAs have put in place through often piece meal, short-term project based funding and local fundraising activities a variety of innovative after school and summer social, academic and recreational interventions to help ease the transition of IRCY into Canada. These projects and programs are becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
Issues addressed in the discussion paper include emerging trends, organizational responses, ideal programming and considerations for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
I think this is a great perspective to consider as being the priority. Yes the transition for adults can be traumatic however the effects on a child are as severe if not more. I have lived in Canada since 1982. As yet I am not a Canadian Citizen. I am a landed immigrant but that took me 13 years. Yes I could have married to obtain it but I had hoped to go through the process of getting it on my own. But it let me down. So if I feel upset in this endeavour then a child will become overwhelmed especially if the stress of not being allowed to stay can be felt through the parents or family. I now am attending College to be a Child and Youth Worker. I have one year to go. The system needs to change.
G.Walsh
Hi,
I think there has to be more steps to be taken.this whole process of Immigration has great impact on adult as well Children. I am just new immigrant with my 2 kids,age of 5 and 7 years. last week my son who is 7 years old got a Panic attack, i took him to Emergency, unfortunatly we couldn’t find out the reson for that.I m really stressed about this Episode as this is the first time my son got this kind f Attack. After some study i found it out It is difficult for him to adjust especally social system as our back home he is tought to be gentle and soft spoken when he came here he felt and faced people screem, if he dosen’t meet requred canadian social system.As he is sensitive kid that Panic Attack had extreamly impact on Personality Development as well in our family.
so i think there has to be more emphasize as well more to be done to wards to Immigrants and Refugee kids (who are in the Anal age, Puberty age as we know this stages they are struguling Initiative versus guilt) .especally in social enviorment.
I spent my 12 years in Africa i can feel the whole impact of Migrating from back home to new country believe me it is not easy for little kids to adjust and adopt in present enviroment where there is not enough resorces avalable for them.
I can be helpful if there is any project or program been plan as I have qualification and back home experience in Social work field.
Purnima.