Refugees suffer lack of childcare
Catherine Gaunt
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
One in five refugee women in London has no access to registered childcare, according to new research focusing on their experiences of early years services in the capital. The study, launched on Friday at the East London Childcare Institute by the Refugee Women's Association (RWA), questioned 147 refugee mothers from 27 different countries living in inner and outer London.
The study, launched on Friday at the East London Childcare Institute by the Refugee Women's Association (RWA), questioned 147 refugee mothers from 27 different countries living in inner and outer London.
Of those who used childcare, 23 per cent said they relied on informal care by friends or family. Only 13 per cent were in paid employment, with most in education, training or voluntary work.
A lack of bilingual staff and language support was an issue. Seventy-two per cent said they had only been offered information in English by early years services, though 42 per cent spoke only 'basic' or 'not much'
English.
Akgul Baylay, co-chair of the RWA, said the lack of affordable childcare made life harder for refugee women, away from the 'traditional support' of family.
For a copy of Accessing Early Years in London: Refugee women's experiences, e-mail corinna@ refugeewomen.org.uk.
