![5
serious health problems, another was about to have a second baby and did not have basic childcare items
she needed. The Cultural Broker facilitating the group found it challenging to work through the
questions and topics related to early childhood that had been identified as part of the process, and yet
respond to the immediate and often critical needs that were presented. In addition to the ethnical
recognition that attending to the basic needs of these families was essential to a relationship of respect
and trust, there was a very practical realization that, “If these issues are not addressed, they [the parents]
will not come back” (cultural broker). Furthermore, she found that if she adopted an approach that
priorized discussions about early childhood over these basic needs, she had an immense amount of
“homework” after each session, that is follow-up related to the settlement needs that each parent
brought her. Eventually, she developed an approach wherein she alternated between early childhood
topics and responding to immediate needs. What this experience illustrates is the extent to which holistic
support for settlement issues is an integral and non-negotiable part of working with newcomers who
have young children.
Accessing Formal Services and Supports
Despite the many services and supports available in West Edmonton, parents expressed varying levels of
awareness, engagement, and comfort in using such supports. While many were not aware of the
programming available to them as parents of young children, in other cases, they were aware but
faced a range of barriers that prevented or discouraged use. One mother, adjusting to winter in
Canada, described how the logistical complexity of bundling up her small child in the winter, getting her
into a car seat, and navigating across the city discouraged her from even attempting to access certain
services.
It takes hours to put in a car seat and all the clothes on and go there [when you have a small
baby]. [It is] easier if I just stay home.............Turkish mother
Mothers also indicated, depending on the type of program or service, how the format of the program
might conflict with their personal cultural beliefs or practices and therefore preclude participation. For
example, some parents indicated that while there might be programming tailored for young girls (which
within a Canadian context might be perceived as empowering and responsive) they would be reluctant to
send their children to a program that does not engage others in the family. Also, if a program requires
the disclosure of personal issues to service providers, some parents feel uncomfortable, fearing shame
and stigma; in the context of many home cultures, parents rely on extended family, friends and
neighbors to meet their personal needs, yet Canadian services require that they seek help from strangers.
Some parents indicated that they did not want to bother service providers for fear their issues would be
seen as a burden or be misunderstood. Finally, several parents reported negative experiences in prior
interactions with services providers in health or education settings, where they had felt that their cultural
values were not respected or understood. A number expressed a fear of children’s services, based on
their own experiences or those of others within their cultural communities. These experiences had
highlighted how easily their parenting can be misunderstood and brought under scrutiny. The net result
was that some parents were not sure about the ability of mainstream services to meet the diverse and
unique needs of their families.
For parents who did try accessing mainstream resources, confidence was an issue for many. Often they
would attend a play or parenting group once or twice and then stopped coming. The Cultural Broker for
the Turkish group explained that while the language barrier is an obvious and critical concern for](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-5-320.jpg)
![6
parents, many also worry about understanding and adhering to mainstream norms and mores, especially
in group settings, worrying for example, if the questions they want to ask are appropriate, or what is
expected of them at a mainstream birthday celebration. If a mediator who shares the language and
culture of the parents is available to attend groups with the parents, most of these anxieties are
alleviated. In new settings, newcomer parents like to have someone they trust and feel understood by
present, someone they can check in with for clarification or guidance. In our case, having the cultural
broker present for meetings at Parent-Link (Jasper Place) boosted both confidence and attendance.
Another significant barrier that made parents reluctant to seek needed assistance was the fragmentation
between programs within the system. Parents were confused and frustrated with organizational
structures that created silos between mainstream programs and services. Service providers were rarely
forthcoming in providing assistance to navigate between services or programs when required and
parents lacked the capacity, understanding, or at times language to navigate between programs.
Language barriers impeded parents from adequately communicating their needs for support and
understanding the best way to work through the steps needed to access the support needed. Parents
developed a lack of trust in Canadian systems when they were constantly redirected to different services.
Brokers concurred with the parent’s viewpoints on these issues and related their own experiences of
helping families navigate a complex and fragmented system. They noted that for many service
providers, a successful family conclusion is a closed program file or referral, and that this way of
working has an impact on parents’ help-seeking behavior.
Organizations continually say things like ‘that’s not our job’ or ‘we don’t do that here’. If
[parents] go somewhere [for help] and someone says ‘this is not our issue’ they will not go to
knock at another door.............Multicultural Health Broker
As an alternative, parents and brokers emphasized the need for more family-based, holistic, and
culturally appropriate programming.
The Experience of Social Isolation; Forging New Connections in a New Context
When parents reflected on their lives in Canada, a recurrent theme was that of social isolation. The
following comments were typical:
There are lots of nice things here, lots of opportunities like education, good health. But isolation
[is the issue]…no family, its lonely here……Somali mother
Raising kids in Canada is easy [there are lots of services] but our major problem is that we feel
isolated…..Turkish mother
Parents experienced a loss of connection to their extended families, cultural communities, practises and
values. They grieved the loss of familial connections and supports that had been an intricate part of their
cultural norms and everyday life back home. There, family, friends and community assumed a variety of
roles in parents’ lives. They were a source of practical assistance with daily tasks, providing advice,
guidance, social connection and emotional support. The extended family would normally provide
support for childcare needs and offer a range of supports in times of need. One parent explained how she
was somewhat confused about having to access a doctor when her child developed chickenpox. Back
home, she would rely on family-based advice to take care of this very common childhood illness. In](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-6-320.jpg)
![7
Canada, she felt unsure of when a doctor’s advice should be sought and how to access doctor services if
they were required.
One Cultural Broker offered an analogy to illustrate the loss that families feel when settling away from
their home culture.
If you cut a tree and you do not bring the root, the tree will die.
She explained immigration as uprooting a tree: the roots symbolized cultural ties and relationships and
the death of the tree was the impacts of isolation and alienation on the family’s overall wellbeing.
The isolation described by parents was felt on many levels. Many of the mothers reminisced about life
for mothers and children in their countries of origin, where parenting was shared and life was more
relaxed. Nurturing of children was the collective responsibility of family, friends and community where
children could play outside all day under the watchful eye of neighbors. Parent could attend to their
other responsibilities without worry about their children. Here (in Canada) many mothers said they felt
tired and stressed. This stress was intensified by the assumption, in the Canadian context, that it is the
nuclear family that bears responsibility for a child’s wellbeing and development. Many parents found
themselves in situations where they had to sustain multiple low-paying jobs to support the basic needs of
their families, leaving less time and energy for their children, and yet they felt solely responsible for
meeting all of their young children’s needs.
Beyond the stress of social isolation that parents themselves experienced, there was also worry about the
effects of social isolation more directly on young children. The mothers interviewed felt it unnatural for
children to spend so much time alone or only with their parents.
There is more socializing [in the country of origin] because I can go out every day. We do not
live close to each other [here in Canada]) so we can’t get together every day. Our child is very
alone here. It’s hard to make activities with another child. He wants friends, wants me to be his
friend. I have to do something but he wants me to play with him.
I think about my childhood, outside all day, in the evenings….in the trees, there were wild
animals but no danger. Here [Canada] I cannot leave him alone [outside]. He will play on the
computer all day long [worried]. There is nothing to do and I don’t have time to go out with him.
My child is alone here; he needs friends. I can play with him but I can’t spend all my time
playing with him.
Parents explained that optimal child development meant more than providing the basics for their
children (i.e. food, shelter, and clothing) and many parents experienced stress and guilt when trying to
meet their children’s emotional needs. Mothers who balanced work and home responsibilities also
lacked time to organize or build social peer networks for their children. With limited social interactions
with children their own age, children would often look to their parents for social support and interaction.
Parents would sometimes substitute toys or television in an effort to supplement the lack of interaction.
The lack of family focused time, parental stress, and disconnect from culture weakened the social
cohesion of the family.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-7-320.jpg)
![8
The isolation which immigrant parents described was intensified by geography and the norms of western
urban life, that is the way in which, in the Canadian context, families do not typically share life with
those who live in close physical proximity. Parents in this study described how in their countries of
origin, members of a geographical community knew each other and were expected to engage and
support one another. They were in touch regularly, aware of eachothers’ issues, and did not need an
invitation to come over for tea. It was considered rude to pass by an elderly neighbor without joining her
on the front steps to chat about how the family was doing. When a family experienced an issue or
special event, other families in the community would provide support knowing that it would be
reciprocated when they needed support. For example, celebrating the birth of a child in many cultures
means the community surrounds the family and provides any type of support required. New mothers
receive parenting advice from experienced mothers; grandmothers proudly show off the new baby and
attend to his needs while relatives cook dinner allowing the new mother to rest while a neighbor
supervises the children outside. In contrast, a mother participating in the Somali focus group
commented;
Life is very hard here….you are very alone. You have your baby today and tomorrow morning
you have to do everything.
For the newcomer families we interviewed, their greatest sense of community in Canada was found in
connecting with those who shared their language and culture, and could empathize with their experience.
Forming connections with others from their ethno-cultural communities could be challenging- this
varied with the cultural groups represented, more specifically their size, history and level of social
organization within the city. But the families we spoke with demonstrated resilience and overcame their
isolation and disconnect, to some degree, by extending their idea of ‘community’ well beyond the
geographic boundaries of their neighbourhood to encompass pockets of families of the same cultural
background located in a variety of Edmonton neighborhoods. A Somali mom explained how parents tap
into their own cultural communities to attempt to recreate, in the Canadian setting, a social support
network that mirrors what they left behind:
In Canada, these [women here in this group] are my aunties [since I don’t have other
family here in Canada]. If I meet of them, I will ask if they are from Somalia, then [they
become part of my support]….they are my family…., she is an Auntie, she is an Auntie,
and she is an Auntie [she points to each woman around the circle]
For these newcomer families in social transition, there was no “right answer”. They found comfort and
connection with those sharing their language, values and culture and yet they also wished to create
meaningful connections with those in their own neighborhoods and to take advantage of service and
supports that were available close to their homes. For some families, one of the first major points of
contacts on arrival had been government services and programs. In some cases, this contact had opened
doors to more social connections but for others this was not the case. Furthermore, the inaccessibility
and fragmentation of services described early, perpetuated parents feelings of isolation; when they were
bounced between services they felt misunderstood, judged based on their differences, not worthy of
thoughtful service provision, and alone in solving their issues.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-8-320.jpg)
![9
Similarities and Differences in Child Rearing
The parents in the focus groups described how they struggled to learn and integrate new cultural
expectations and related child-rearing strategies with their own values and practises. Parents had high
expectations for their children’s development and believed it was their responsibility to teach their
children what they needed to learn. This was typically supported within their culture by a
collective/community vision of child rearing. The immigrant mothers had very similar desires for the
healthy development of their children as any other parent would have. As one mother stated, “First is to
be a good human being, and second is his education”. They wanted their children to learn how to be
good human beings with strong interpersonal/social skills and the ability to share. They wanted their
children to learn to be respectful, well behaved, and listen to others. The mothers knew these skills were
common and important to all parents. The differences for the mothers appeared in the culturally-specific
strategies they used to instil these skills in their children and how the strategies were perceived by
mainstream society.
In many cultures, discipline of children is shared among parents and the broader community. Parents are
expected to offer discipline to their own children and their neighbors’ children.
There [in my home country] when a child is misbehaving outside of the home, the Aunties or
neighbors can give him a lecture, “That is not good, don’t behave this way. I am going to tell
your mom or tell you to go home”. That person will see the parents and tell them what happened.
That child will not misbehave [any longer]. He knows no one will back him up…everyone in the
community wants him to behave well.
If children are punished as a consequence of poor actions then relatives played a role in supporting the
child’s emotional needs. A Cultural Broker explained that if a child received a spanking from her mother
then the grandmother was always there to hug and comfort the child afterwards and reinforce the
reasoning behind the spanking. In a context of immigration and transition, where the extended family
and community no longer act as an anchor, discipline patterns can become less grounded and more
affected by other stresses in the family. One participant spoke from her experience as an immigrant
mother and how the stress she felt as a result of settlement issues and social isolation would transfer to
the discipline of her children.
I physically punished her [her child] because society physically punished me.
How children play, learn, and develop was also understood and nurtured differently in home contexts
than in Canada. Some parents discussed the differences in independence and freedom of play in their
culture.
There [back home] you will have a five or six year old minding herds of goats all on their own.
Outside all day…with no parent, not worried............ Somali mother
One mother discovered that this freedom and independence of play was not common and was actually
frowned upon in Canada. She left her children outside to play, as she had always done back home, and a
neighbour called children’s services. The social worker promptly returned the children to their mother
and scolded the mother for neglecting her children. Negative interactions with formal government
services, unfamiliar with her cultural parenting practices, have now instilled fear and doubt in the](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-9-320.jpg)
![10
mother’s mind about her own parenting. Traditionally, these parents would have only sought parenting
advice from family and community members who understood and respected their cultural practices.
They would only trust family members and friends to care for their children
Focus group participants related some other observations about what is typically affirmed in early
childhood settings in Canada, but not necessarily valued in their countries of origin:
We are more relaxed about children [back home]. When we hear a noise we don’t run…..here
when we hear a noise, everyone complains about it, [they] …want to control the children
One mother related how she had received a call from her child’s school, indicating that there was some
concern about him being delayed in his skills. As it turned out, he had been unable to put his jacket on,
so was left behind when the other children went out to play. She explained that she had not considered
this an important skill for him to learn so had not made a point of teaching him. The emphasis on
independent behavior for preschool children was not something shared in her home culture.
Being Bicultural; Aspirations and Anxieties
When parents were asked what kind of support was important to them, several identified support for
their culture and identity.
Somali-Canadian…support for this [is what we need]. We need our kids to be proud; I am
Canadian but I am Somali. I have this [mainstream] culture but I am Somali too.
Parents in the Turkish group also talked about the importance of keeping their traditions alive in Canada
and the challenges in doing so:
Back home we celebrate Ramadan. Here …even on Ramadan everyone is working. We can’t
celebrate. Can’t keep that culture. We can’t take the day off so it’s hard to keep the
culture.............
Many parents shared about the struggles they faced in raising children between two cultures; they were
anxious about their children losing their own culture and still very much want their children to succeed
in Canadian society. Parents tried to adapt for the sake of their children, where they could, often
performing a juggling act.
We never had birthday parties [in country of origin]. Sometimes we can do things [that are not
part of our tradition]…just to please the kids. I saw my sons face and he feels very bad [if he
doesn’t get a birthday celebration like kids here].
I don’t do birthdays… Christmas, Valentines, hat day, PJ day. If I do one day, my child will ask
to do them all the time…O.K, I can do one day but its not part of our culture
Surprisingly, some focus group participants, who had very young children, were already worried about
the kinds of challenges that would come as their children got older and how they would balance their
parenting to fit both cultures.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-10-320.jpg)
![11
When they [the children] get older you have problems….at home when they are teens, we are
happy because they are growing up and can take care of the younger kids …here when they
grow up they are not responsible….they are ‘teenagers’ even at 20 or 25 [laughter].
We are afraid that our children are going to lose our culture; they feel “I’m free, I’ll do
whatever I want”.
We are concerned about when they grow up; children back home stay with their parents until
they get married no matter what the age. A child raised here will want to live by himself, that’s
common here.
While exposure to new ideas that challenged cultural values and norms were worrisome, parents also
expressed concern that there were values important to them that were missing in the mainstream context
and difficult to instill in their children. One participant explained her concern that children raised here
did not seem to learn the true meaning of community, generosity and sacrifice. Their understandings
were very superficial. Others mentioned their fear that children would grow up thinking only of
themselves and ignore the importance of helping their parents and extended family.
Some parents felt that Canadian society labels certain childhood behaviors, which are normal in their
home countries, as problematic. One example, cited earlier, was a lack of independent behavior, such as
the inability of a child to dress himself at a young age. One participant also spoke of the tendency in
Canada to label children as having ADHD, when children in her country of origin are allowed to be very
physically active and free during the preschool years.
Implications and Applications
Provincial Early Development Instrument (EDI) Process
The first five years of a child’s life are the most critical period in development and have a lifelong
impact on learning, health, work, relationships and well-being. The Early Development Instrument
(EDI) gauges how populations of young children are developing. The EDI is being used by Alberta
Education as part of the five-year Early Child Development (ECD) Mapping Initiative, which will help
Albertans to better understand how well their young children are doing and to work together to give
them a good start in life. Based on our conversations with immigrant and refugee families there are
many factors that may preclude parents from fully engaging in various phases of the provincial EDI
process.
Implications for EDI Data Collection Process
Kindergarten teachers must acquire parental consent in order to complete EDI questionnaires for
children in their classrooms. Parental consent is sought through various means across the
province and efforts have been made to communicate directly with immigrant and refugee
parents.
Our findings highlight several practical reasons why newcomer parents might be less inclined to
engage in the data collection process and provide informed consent (and may therefore require](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d8718d38-ba51-42f7-aedc-1a8043950721-160512220025/85/FINAL-ready-set-go-report-phase-2-Oct-2012-11-320.jpg)
FINAL 'ready set go' report phase 2 Oct 2012
- 1. 1 Ready Set Let’s Go to Kindergarten; Newcomer Perspectives and Realities Project Partners Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative City of Edmonton Community Services Parent Link- Jasper Place Community-University Partnership, University of Alberta Support provided by: West Edmonton Coalition Parent Link – Jasper Place Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative Community-University Partnership October 2012
- 2. 2 Project Background and Context Information on early childhood development (ECD) is being collected for every community in Alberta as part of the Government of Alberta’s Early Child Development (ECD) Mapping Initiative. The Mapping Initiative is a five-year research and community development activity that includes implementation of the Early Development Instrument (EDI) in kindergarten classes across the province. The Initiative will help Albertans to better understand how their young children are doing and to work together to support their healthy development. The EDI is a population measure that describes the development of groups of kindergarten-aged children in the areas of social competence, language and thinking skills, physical health and well-being, emotional maturity, and communication skills and general knowledge. The EDI Mapping results for Edmonton West include results from 8 sub-communities. A total of 1,605 EDI questionnaires were completed by West Edmonton kindergarten teachers and 1,304 were analyzed. Results indicated that although the majority of children in Edmonton West are developing appropriately, a large percentage are experiencing difficulty or great difficulty, particularly in communication skills and general knowledge (34.59%) and emotional maturity (31.05%). In Edmonton West, 30.44% of kindergarten children are experiencing great difficulty in one or more areas of development as compared to 31.64% of kindergarten children in the entire city of Edmonton and 25.40% in Canada. There was concern among early childhood practitioners and service organizations in Edmonton West about how the EDI results may or may not reflect the realities of immigrant and refugee families raising young children in the area. Edmonton West demographics reflect a slightly higher immigrant population in Edmonton West (18.90%) compared to Alberta (15.04%). The Ready Set Let’s Go to Kindergarten pilot project evolved as a response to the EDI results, highlighting the changing demographics in West Edmonton and a concern as to whether immigrant families had participated in the initiative and the extent to which the EDI was reflective of their cultural perceptions of early child development. The project will enhance our understanding of the realities of immigrant families with young children in West Edmonton, their needs as newcomers, and their cultural perceptions of child development. The project aims to understand the context of immigrant parenting in Edmonton in relation to children’s optimal development and readiness for school. The Ready Set Let’s Go to Kindergarten pilot was inspired by a similar initiative run in Lymburn community of West Edmonton. The community developed the Getting Ready to Go program which provided parents with tools and activities for enhancing their children’s pre-kindergarten skills. The need for additional tools was identified through M.A.P.S. Edmonton research which showed that a significant number of children in Lymburn were at moderate or vulnerable risk. By building on the EDI outcomes with immigrant parents’ perspectives, we are mobilizing knowledge of early child development into community action and informing decisions on how to support early child development for all children in West Edmonton. The goals of this project are to: • learn more about the life context of immigrant families with young children in west Edmonton, their aspirations, needs, capacities and cultural perceptions as they relate to the development of young children • understand their experiences and needs as they relate to early childhood supports across West Edmonton
- 3. 3 • inform parents about the ECMap initiative/outcomes and gain insights into the best way to engage parents in the ECMap process, interpretation of findings, and potential community action. Methods The project included three phases that fostered new learning around newcomer perspectives of early child development. Knowledge gained in one phase was mobilized into the next phase. Phase 1: Pilot Sessions (October-December 2011) Phase 1 included the pilot of a series of discussions with a group of Turkish mothers to gain a preliminary understanding of their realities of raising their children in West Edmonton. A Cultural Broker helped facilitate 9 different discussions with 16 parents with pre-school aged children from October to December 2011. Participation of the broker, who was familiar with language and culture, helped bridge potential cultural and linguistic barriers. This phase provided an opportunity to explore different methodologies for engaging parents in a discussion around the ECMap community information package, test discussion questions, and examine ways to address parents’ needs that surface during the conversations. The original method was to engage these mothers in a conversation about EDI results for West Edmonton and to gauge their reactions and input. However, early into phase 1, it was apparent that a more relational, supportive and holistic approach was needed. In order to be respectful and responsive to the mothers’ needs, we created a reciprocal process of engagement. The mothers were more at ease when working directly with a Cultural Broker who spoke their language, understood cultural contexts, and facilitated trust and rapport among the group. The broker working with the group emphasized that ‘they need to tell their stories’ and explained that this required time and a broader kind of attentiveness. The group shifted conversations from discussing specific EDI results to engaging parents in a dialogue about, for example, their experiences and expectations raising children back home versus Canada. The shift in focus also required a shift in language; we spoke less of school readiness and more about “optimal child development” which allowed contextual and holistic aspects of child development such as cultural values, family, and health to be discussed. We replaced charts and numbers with mutual dialogue. This encouraged co-creation of knowledge among parents and Cultural Brokers. Phase 2: Data collection, synthesis of learning and action plan (January-August 2012) Phase 2 built on the knowledge gained during phase 1 and engaged a second group of immigrant parents in two different focus groups. In total, we talked to 17 mothers (13 Somali and 4 Turkish)1 . The Turkish mothers had been in Canada at least 3 to 4 years. The Somali mothers had been in Canada anywhere from a few months to several years. All mothers had pre-school aged children. Due to the change in methods, Cultural Brokers were needed to facilitate the conversations and to contextualize the issues and challenges the mothers expressed. There were challenges in organizing the mothers’ timetables with that of the broker which resulted in fewer discussion groups than expected. In order to gain deeper perspective and insight into the mothers’ issues, we hosted a focus 1 While it would have been ideal to engage parents from a broader range of cultural communities, this was not possible for a number of reasons, including the scope and time constraints of the project. Of course, many of the issues identified by the parents who participated in this study are common to the newcomer experience and reflect the realities of many cultural communities. Perhaps in future phases of this project, it will be possible to engage newcomer parents from other cultural backgrounds who also have a presence in west Edmonton (i.e. Vietnamese, Iraqi…).
- 4. 4 group with 5 Cultural Brokers who worked specifically with Iraqi, South Asian, Vietnamese, Spanish-speaking and Ukrainian/Russian communities. Phase 3: Tool creation and learning dissemination (September – October 2012) Phase 3 focused on creating a tool or resource to incorporate the learning from phase 1 and 2. The development of the resource was discussed with the Cultural Brokers and from initial discussions it appears the needs may be more relationally based than paper based (see the final section of this report). Findings The following is a series of themes that arose during our conversations with the immigrant mothers and Cultural Brokers. The themes frame the realities of this group and help articulate the stories of the immigrant mothers and brokers in West Edmonton. Basic Needs and Settlement Issues as Priorities Despite coming to Canada to provide a better life for their children, many parents expressed mixed feelings about their transition into Canadian society. On one hand, parents were grateful to be in Canada because of the opportunities of employment, education and health care for their families. They saw Canada as equitable, peaceful and prosperous; all advantages for raising their children. On the other hand, parents identified many basic settlement needs and challenges that were making the transition to Canadian life more difficult than they had anticipated and preventing them from accessing what Canada could offer their families. When newcomers first arrive to Canada they have to adapt to a new climate and culture. Many have to learn English or French, and how to successfully navigate a complex system of support in order to meet their family’s basic needs. They face issues of chronic unemployment or underemployment, with the related loss of social and financial status, isolation, and discrimination. These external stresses, together with role changes and reversals within the families, and for those who come as refugees, the lingering effects of premigration trauma or loss, can make newcomers vulnerable. Some experience marital breakdown, family violence, addictions, or mental health issues such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Participants in this study, who talked about their struggles as parents raising young families, highlighted many of these settlement challenges. They spoke of constantly having to deal with language barriers, of obstacles to adequate employment, difficulties accessing health care, a lack of access to culturally appropriate supports and services, differences in cultural values and the loss of social connection. The extent of difficulty experienced with settlement issues varied depending on the context within which parents and families entered Canada (e.g. immigrant versus refugee status) and their pre-migration realities. Newcomer parents came to the discussion groups, especially during phase 1, with basic and pressing needs that took precedence over conversations that focused more specifically on early childhood. Parents asked for help in accessing and filling out forms for child tax benefits and Alberta healthcare, one parent needed help for her unemployed husband who had not yet been able to secure work in Canada, another had concerns about how to access health care and support for an older child with
- 5. 5 serious health problems, another was about to have a second baby and did not have basic childcare items she needed. The Cultural Broker facilitating the group found it challenging to work through the questions and topics related to early childhood that had been identified as part of the process, and yet respond to the immediate and often critical needs that were presented. In addition to the ethnical recognition that attending to the basic needs of these families was essential to a relationship of respect and trust, there was a very practical realization that, “If these issues are not addressed, they [the parents] will not come back” (cultural broker). Furthermore, she found that if she adopted an approach that priorized discussions about early childhood over these basic needs, she had an immense amount of “homework” after each session, that is follow-up related to the settlement needs that each parent brought her. Eventually, she developed an approach wherein she alternated between early childhood topics and responding to immediate needs. What this experience illustrates is the extent to which holistic support for settlement issues is an integral and non-negotiable part of working with newcomers who have young children. Accessing Formal Services and Supports Despite the many services and supports available in West Edmonton, parents expressed varying levels of awareness, engagement, and comfort in using such supports. While many were not aware of the programming available to them as parents of young children, in other cases, they were aware but faced a range of barriers that prevented or discouraged use. One mother, adjusting to winter in Canada, described how the logistical complexity of bundling up her small child in the winter, getting her into a car seat, and navigating across the city discouraged her from even attempting to access certain services. It takes hours to put in a car seat and all the clothes on and go there [when you have a small baby]. [It is] easier if I just stay home.............Turkish mother Mothers also indicated, depending on the type of program or service, how the format of the program might conflict with their personal cultural beliefs or practices and therefore preclude participation. For example, some parents indicated that while there might be programming tailored for young girls (which within a Canadian context might be perceived as empowering and responsive) they would be reluctant to send their children to a program that does not engage others in the family. Also, if a program requires the disclosure of personal issues to service providers, some parents feel uncomfortable, fearing shame and stigma; in the context of many home cultures, parents rely on extended family, friends and neighbors to meet their personal needs, yet Canadian services require that they seek help from strangers. Some parents indicated that they did not want to bother service providers for fear their issues would be seen as a burden or be misunderstood. Finally, several parents reported negative experiences in prior interactions with services providers in health or education settings, where they had felt that their cultural values were not respected or understood. A number expressed a fear of children’s services, based on their own experiences or those of others within their cultural communities. These experiences had highlighted how easily their parenting can be misunderstood and brought under scrutiny. The net result was that some parents were not sure about the ability of mainstream services to meet the diverse and unique needs of their families. For parents who did try accessing mainstream resources, confidence was an issue for many. Often they would attend a play or parenting group once or twice and then stopped coming. The Cultural Broker for the Turkish group explained that while the language barrier is an obvious and critical concern for
- 6. 6 parents, many also worry about understanding and adhering to mainstream norms and mores, especially in group settings, worrying for example, if the questions they want to ask are appropriate, or what is expected of them at a mainstream birthday celebration. If a mediator who shares the language and culture of the parents is available to attend groups with the parents, most of these anxieties are alleviated. In new settings, newcomer parents like to have someone they trust and feel understood by present, someone they can check in with for clarification or guidance. In our case, having the cultural broker present for meetings at Parent-Link (Jasper Place) boosted both confidence and attendance. Another significant barrier that made parents reluctant to seek needed assistance was the fragmentation between programs within the system. Parents were confused and frustrated with organizational structures that created silos between mainstream programs and services. Service providers were rarely forthcoming in providing assistance to navigate between services or programs when required and parents lacked the capacity, understanding, or at times language to navigate between programs. Language barriers impeded parents from adequately communicating their needs for support and understanding the best way to work through the steps needed to access the support needed. Parents developed a lack of trust in Canadian systems when they were constantly redirected to different services. Brokers concurred with the parent’s viewpoints on these issues and related their own experiences of helping families navigate a complex and fragmented system. They noted that for many service providers, a successful family conclusion is a closed program file or referral, and that this way of working has an impact on parents’ help-seeking behavior. Organizations continually say things like ‘that’s not our job’ or ‘we don’t do that here’. If [parents] go somewhere [for help] and someone says ‘this is not our issue’ they will not go to knock at another door.............Multicultural Health Broker As an alternative, parents and brokers emphasized the need for more family-based, holistic, and culturally appropriate programming. The Experience of Social Isolation; Forging New Connections in a New Context When parents reflected on their lives in Canada, a recurrent theme was that of social isolation. The following comments were typical: There are lots of nice things here, lots of opportunities like education, good health. But isolation [is the issue]…no family, its lonely here……Somali mother Raising kids in Canada is easy [there are lots of services] but our major problem is that we feel isolated…..Turkish mother Parents experienced a loss of connection to their extended families, cultural communities, practises and values. They grieved the loss of familial connections and supports that had been an intricate part of their cultural norms and everyday life back home. There, family, friends and community assumed a variety of roles in parents’ lives. They were a source of practical assistance with daily tasks, providing advice, guidance, social connection and emotional support. The extended family would normally provide support for childcare needs and offer a range of supports in times of need. One parent explained how she was somewhat confused about having to access a doctor when her child developed chickenpox. Back home, she would rely on family-based advice to take care of this very common childhood illness. In
- 7. 7 Canada, she felt unsure of when a doctor’s advice should be sought and how to access doctor services if they were required. One Cultural Broker offered an analogy to illustrate the loss that families feel when settling away from their home culture. If you cut a tree and you do not bring the root, the tree will die. She explained immigration as uprooting a tree: the roots symbolized cultural ties and relationships and the death of the tree was the impacts of isolation and alienation on the family’s overall wellbeing. The isolation described by parents was felt on many levels. Many of the mothers reminisced about life for mothers and children in their countries of origin, where parenting was shared and life was more relaxed. Nurturing of children was the collective responsibility of family, friends and community where children could play outside all day under the watchful eye of neighbors. Parent could attend to their other responsibilities without worry about their children. Here (in Canada) many mothers said they felt tired and stressed. This stress was intensified by the assumption, in the Canadian context, that it is the nuclear family that bears responsibility for a child’s wellbeing and development. Many parents found themselves in situations where they had to sustain multiple low-paying jobs to support the basic needs of their families, leaving less time and energy for their children, and yet they felt solely responsible for meeting all of their young children’s needs. Beyond the stress of social isolation that parents themselves experienced, there was also worry about the effects of social isolation more directly on young children. The mothers interviewed felt it unnatural for children to spend so much time alone or only with their parents. There is more socializing [in the country of origin] because I can go out every day. We do not live close to each other [here in Canada]) so we can’t get together every day. Our child is very alone here. It’s hard to make activities with another child. He wants friends, wants me to be his friend. I have to do something but he wants me to play with him. I think about my childhood, outside all day, in the evenings….in the trees, there were wild animals but no danger. Here [Canada] I cannot leave him alone [outside]. He will play on the computer all day long [worried]. There is nothing to do and I don’t have time to go out with him. My child is alone here; he needs friends. I can play with him but I can’t spend all my time playing with him. Parents explained that optimal child development meant more than providing the basics for their children (i.e. food, shelter, and clothing) and many parents experienced stress and guilt when trying to meet their children’s emotional needs. Mothers who balanced work and home responsibilities also lacked time to organize or build social peer networks for their children. With limited social interactions with children their own age, children would often look to their parents for social support and interaction. Parents would sometimes substitute toys or television in an effort to supplement the lack of interaction. The lack of family focused time, parental stress, and disconnect from culture weakened the social cohesion of the family.
- 8. 8 The isolation which immigrant parents described was intensified by geography and the norms of western urban life, that is the way in which, in the Canadian context, families do not typically share life with those who live in close physical proximity. Parents in this study described how in their countries of origin, members of a geographical community knew each other and were expected to engage and support one another. They were in touch regularly, aware of eachothers’ issues, and did not need an invitation to come over for tea. It was considered rude to pass by an elderly neighbor without joining her on the front steps to chat about how the family was doing. When a family experienced an issue or special event, other families in the community would provide support knowing that it would be reciprocated when they needed support. For example, celebrating the birth of a child in many cultures means the community surrounds the family and provides any type of support required. New mothers receive parenting advice from experienced mothers; grandmothers proudly show off the new baby and attend to his needs while relatives cook dinner allowing the new mother to rest while a neighbor supervises the children outside. In contrast, a mother participating in the Somali focus group commented; Life is very hard here….you are very alone. You have your baby today and tomorrow morning you have to do everything. For the newcomer families we interviewed, their greatest sense of community in Canada was found in connecting with those who shared their language and culture, and could empathize with their experience. Forming connections with others from their ethno-cultural communities could be challenging- this varied with the cultural groups represented, more specifically their size, history and level of social organization within the city. But the families we spoke with demonstrated resilience and overcame their isolation and disconnect, to some degree, by extending their idea of ‘community’ well beyond the geographic boundaries of their neighbourhood to encompass pockets of families of the same cultural background located in a variety of Edmonton neighborhoods. A Somali mom explained how parents tap into their own cultural communities to attempt to recreate, in the Canadian setting, a social support network that mirrors what they left behind: In Canada, these [women here in this group] are my aunties [since I don’t have other family here in Canada]. If I meet of them, I will ask if they are from Somalia, then [they become part of my support]….they are my family…., she is an Auntie, she is an Auntie, and she is an Auntie [she points to each woman around the circle] For these newcomer families in social transition, there was no “right answer”. They found comfort and connection with those sharing their language, values and culture and yet they also wished to create meaningful connections with those in their own neighborhoods and to take advantage of service and supports that were available close to their homes. For some families, one of the first major points of contacts on arrival had been government services and programs. In some cases, this contact had opened doors to more social connections but for others this was not the case. Furthermore, the inaccessibility and fragmentation of services described early, perpetuated parents feelings of isolation; when they were bounced between services they felt misunderstood, judged based on their differences, not worthy of thoughtful service provision, and alone in solving their issues.
- 9. 9 Similarities and Differences in Child Rearing The parents in the focus groups described how they struggled to learn and integrate new cultural expectations and related child-rearing strategies with their own values and practises. Parents had high expectations for their children’s development and believed it was their responsibility to teach their children what they needed to learn. This was typically supported within their culture by a collective/community vision of child rearing. The immigrant mothers had very similar desires for the healthy development of their children as any other parent would have. As one mother stated, “First is to be a good human being, and second is his education”. They wanted their children to learn how to be good human beings with strong interpersonal/social skills and the ability to share. They wanted their children to learn to be respectful, well behaved, and listen to others. The mothers knew these skills were common and important to all parents. The differences for the mothers appeared in the culturally-specific strategies they used to instil these skills in their children and how the strategies were perceived by mainstream society. In many cultures, discipline of children is shared among parents and the broader community. Parents are expected to offer discipline to their own children and their neighbors’ children. There [in my home country] when a child is misbehaving outside of the home, the Aunties or neighbors can give him a lecture, “That is not good, don’t behave this way. I am going to tell your mom or tell you to go home”. That person will see the parents and tell them what happened. That child will not misbehave [any longer]. He knows no one will back him up…everyone in the community wants him to behave well. If children are punished as a consequence of poor actions then relatives played a role in supporting the child’s emotional needs. A Cultural Broker explained that if a child received a spanking from her mother then the grandmother was always there to hug and comfort the child afterwards and reinforce the reasoning behind the spanking. In a context of immigration and transition, where the extended family and community no longer act as an anchor, discipline patterns can become less grounded and more affected by other stresses in the family. One participant spoke from her experience as an immigrant mother and how the stress she felt as a result of settlement issues and social isolation would transfer to the discipline of her children. I physically punished her [her child] because society physically punished me. How children play, learn, and develop was also understood and nurtured differently in home contexts than in Canada. Some parents discussed the differences in independence and freedom of play in their culture. There [back home] you will have a five or six year old minding herds of goats all on their own. Outside all day…with no parent, not worried............ Somali mother One mother discovered that this freedom and independence of play was not common and was actually frowned upon in Canada. She left her children outside to play, as she had always done back home, and a neighbour called children’s services. The social worker promptly returned the children to their mother and scolded the mother for neglecting her children. Negative interactions with formal government services, unfamiliar with her cultural parenting practices, have now instilled fear and doubt in the
- 10. 10 mother’s mind about her own parenting. Traditionally, these parents would have only sought parenting advice from family and community members who understood and respected their cultural practices. They would only trust family members and friends to care for their children Focus group participants related some other observations about what is typically affirmed in early childhood settings in Canada, but not necessarily valued in their countries of origin: We are more relaxed about children [back home]. When we hear a noise we don’t run…..here when we hear a noise, everyone complains about it, [they] …want to control the children One mother related how she had received a call from her child’s school, indicating that there was some concern about him being delayed in his skills. As it turned out, he had been unable to put his jacket on, so was left behind when the other children went out to play. She explained that she had not considered this an important skill for him to learn so had not made a point of teaching him. The emphasis on independent behavior for preschool children was not something shared in her home culture. Being Bicultural; Aspirations and Anxieties When parents were asked what kind of support was important to them, several identified support for their culture and identity. Somali-Canadian…support for this [is what we need]. We need our kids to be proud; I am Canadian but I am Somali. I have this [mainstream] culture but I am Somali too. Parents in the Turkish group also talked about the importance of keeping their traditions alive in Canada and the challenges in doing so: Back home we celebrate Ramadan. Here …even on Ramadan everyone is working. We can’t celebrate. Can’t keep that culture. We can’t take the day off so it’s hard to keep the culture............. Many parents shared about the struggles they faced in raising children between two cultures; they were anxious about their children losing their own culture and still very much want their children to succeed in Canadian society. Parents tried to adapt for the sake of their children, where they could, often performing a juggling act. We never had birthday parties [in country of origin]. Sometimes we can do things [that are not part of our tradition]…just to please the kids. I saw my sons face and he feels very bad [if he doesn’t get a birthday celebration like kids here]. I don’t do birthdays… Christmas, Valentines, hat day, PJ day. If I do one day, my child will ask to do them all the time…O.K, I can do one day but its not part of our culture Surprisingly, some focus group participants, who had very young children, were already worried about the kinds of challenges that would come as their children got older and how they would balance their parenting to fit both cultures.
- 11. 11 When they [the children] get older you have problems….at home when they are teens, we are happy because they are growing up and can take care of the younger kids …here when they grow up they are not responsible….they are ‘teenagers’ even at 20 or 25 [laughter]. We are afraid that our children are going to lose our culture; they feel “I’m free, I’ll do whatever I want”. We are concerned about when they grow up; children back home stay with their parents until they get married no matter what the age. A child raised here will want to live by himself, that’s common here. While exposure to new ideas that challenged cultural values and norms were worrisome, parents also expressed concern that there were values important to them that were missing in the mainstream context and difficult to instill in their children. One participant explained her concern that children raised here did not seem to learn the true meaning of community, generosity and sacrifice. Their understandings were very superficial. Others mentioned their fear that children would grow up thinking only of themselves and ignore the importance of helping their parents and extended family. Some parents felt that Canadian society labels certain childhood behaviors, which are normal in their home countries, as problematic. One example, cited earlier, was a lack of independent behavior, such as the inability of a child to dress himself at a young age. One participant also spoke of the tendency in Canada to label children as having ADHD, when children in her country of origin are allowed to be very physically active and free during the preschool years. Implications and Applications Provincial Early Development Instrument (EDI) Process The first five years of a child’s life are the most critical period in development and have a lifelong impact on learning, health, work, relationships and well-being. The Early Development Instrument (EDI) gauges how populations of young children are developing. The EDI is being used by Alberta Education as part of the five-year Early Child Development (ECD) Mapping Initiative, which will help Albertans to better understand how well their young children are doing and to work together to give them a good start in life. Based on our conversations with immigrant and refugee families there are many factors that may preclude parents from fully engaging in various phases of the provincial EDI process. Implications for EDI Data Collection Process Kindergarten teachers must acquire parental consent in order to complete EDI questionnaires for children in their classrooms. Parental consent is sought through various means across the province and efforts have been made to communicate directly with immigrant and refugee parents. Our findings highlight several practical reasons why newcomer parents might be less inclined to engage in the data collection process and provide informed consent (and may therefore require
- 12. 12 additional supports to do so). Firstly, many newcomers feel disconnected and isolated from mainstream systems, including schools, and do not always understand how to navigate or communicate within these systems, especially if they have questions or concerns. Language and cultural barriers, system navigation issues, and confidence are all issues that have been highlighted in this study. Involving mediators, who speak the first language of the parents and understand their cultural frame of reference, is the ideal; they can help mobilize newcomers and mediate a fully informed consent. Another important consideration is meeting times and ways of sharing the information about the EDI consent with newcomer parents that do not overburden them. For the many who struggle with unemployment/underemployment and have to take on shiftwork, attending information sessions, in addition to regular school meetings, may prove too difficult. . This project also raises some concern that a lack of awareness of different cultural norms (on the part of kindergarten teachers), coupled with lack of communication with parents and children in their first language, could undermine the validity of the questionnaire when applied to certain cultural subgroups. Some immigrant parents have already experienced negative outcomes with mainstream services because of cultural misinterpretations, and this fear may translate to suspicion of the EDI process and a lack of parental consent. While close analysis of the EDI data may provide some clues about the participation rates of minority ethno-cultural groups, it is clear from this discussion that their participation cannot be assumed and that they may actually be underrepresented. Implications for Coalition and Community Development The ECMap initiative has established over 100 coalitions across the province that use EDI results as a tool for community discussion to actively promote positive early childhood development and spark interest in actively supporting healthy child development. Immigrant and refugee families have unique needs based on contextual factors which in turn shape their children’s development. In order to obtain a more complete picture of early child development in Edmonton and inform relevant actions, it is critical to engage the perspectives of immigrant and refugee families in ECMap coalition development and dialogues. Parent participation may be fostered by providing transportation and childcare for these parents. If parents themselves cannot engage, ensuring that a representative from different cultural groups is present in the coalition membership may be very useful in creating relevant and responsive action plans. Based on our findings, and our own project learning, coalitions may benefit from considering a variety of approaches when it comes to sharing the EDI results with immigrant parents and/or community organizations. Some immigrant groups, especially those who are very new to Canada, will most actively engage when the approach is primarily relational, one that encourages trust and openness for immigrant parents to share their stories and discuss the challenges they are currently facing in raising healthy young children. Parents in our focus groups were more comfortable when they could share their triumphs and challenges in raising children in Canada and contrast them with raising children in their home countries. They also felt their contributions were heard and valued when someone (i.e. a multicultural health broker) was helping them solve the immediate parenting and settlement issues they were sharing. In addition, we found that another effective way to encourage parents’ to contribute to a discussion about early childhood development was to consciously use more holistic language that resonated with parents cultural values.
- 13. 13 Early Childhood Development Programs and Services Early childhood service providers need to be aware of the everyday realities of immigrant parents, as well as their cultural perspectives, and closely consider the implications of these for developing and evaluating programs and services. Understanding the factors that may make newcomers reluctant to access services, providing holistic and seamless support, addressing linguistic and cultural barriers, and creating welcoming relationship-oriented environments are all important strategies that have surfaced in the context of this study. On a very practical level, it is important to remember that parents who are accustomed to unstructured forms of play and prefer to socialize their children with others who share their cultural parenting views may not enroll their children in structured organized programming. Also, consistent with cultural values of holistic family supports, immigrant parents may only feel comfortable engaging in family activities with their children, as opposed to merely dropping them off. This pilot has also highlighted the extent to which the provision of settlement-related supports is integral to healthy families and children, and that parents are frustrated by the fragmentation of services, preferring to access support in a more seamless, one-stop way. This finding is relevant for all early childhood service providers who wish to reach immigrant families, but may be especially so for schools and daycares, which are often the first places where children and their families have consistent contact with the “mainstream”. Wrap-around support, including support for settlement, is increasingly being recognized as a critical and appropriate part of caring for children and families in these settings. This can often be provided by partnering with immigrant serving agencies and involving outreach workers. Greater access to services and program engagement will be fostered when parents can develop meaningful relationships both with other parents and service providers. This study highlighted the importance of cultural and linguistic mediation in this regard; many parents who are very new to Canada face linguistic barriers, lack confidence when faced with mainstream norms and mores, and do not feel understood when it comes to their perspectives, values and parenting styles. Cultural brokers or mediators can play a key role in facilitating a “safe space” for engagement when parents are reluctant to step out on their own, especially in the early stages of accessing services. Finally, cultural awareness and an understanding of the newcomer experience is critical for those providing services to young families who wish to truly welcome newcomers and design appropriate programming. The conversations we have had with newcomer parents have highlighted the kinds of social relationships newcomers have left behind and wish to, in some measure, recreate here, their values, fears and aspirations in raising their children in Canada, and how they can be hurt and marginalized when their parenting is misunderstood. When efforts are made to understand the life context and values of the other, misunderstandings are less common and innovative responsive programming can develop. Intercultural learning can happen through formal learning sessions, from working closely with cultural brokers or mediators, and from hearing the stories of newcomer parents themselves. But it requires a deliberate effort, and the related time and resources. Taking the time to understand will become increasingly important in the early childhood sector as our population continues to diversify.
- 14. 14 Next Steps; Planning for phase 3 The feedback and perspectives of our immigrant parents and multicultural health brokers provided a deeper understanding of the struggles that immigrant parents experience in providing for the basic needs of their children and the isolation they feel from mainstream values, systems, programs, and services. We identified three main areas where next steps could be taken: (1) Foster social connections and strengthen community ties (2) Increase awareness of and connections to supports and services in West Edmonton (3) Enhance parenting capacity with culturally relevant supports The original concept for phase 3 was to create a resource or tool to help service providers understand the context and realities of immigrant families. Yet from our discussions with the multicultural health brokers it is clear the connections and mutual understanding required to support immigrant parents requires strong open relationships and dialogue that may be best facilitated through an event rather than a manual or report. The event could provide opportunities for parents in the area to connect to each other, fun age-appropriate activities for children, parents to make personal contact with service and program providers, and stronger community connections. Participants would include immigrant and non-immigrant families, local service providers, agencies and programs and ECMap coalition members. This type of event could represent a first step in alleviating the isolation and disconnect that immigrant parents feel, enhance mutual understanding of early childhood development from differing cultural perspectives, and build support networks and connections among families in similar situations. Further development of this event will be lead by the Ready Set Let’s Go to Kindergarten team over the coming months and will engage input and participation from the West Edmonton ECMap coalition.