Critical Factors for Academic and Familial Development of Eritrean Refugee Children in Switzerland: A Mixed-Methods Study

Author(s) : Susan C. A. Burkhardt, Andrea Lanfranchi

Source : https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2025.2452227

Abstract:

People from Eritrea are currently the largest group of recognized refugees in Switzerland; many of them have small children under 6 years of age. In the next few years, thousands of children will start school. The specific social, cultural, and familial background, sometimes in combination with traumatizing experiences during the journey to Switzerland, might be challenging for school staff and peers regarding integration into the new country, culture, and academic system. The current study aimed to find predictors and determinants of academic success and adjustment. Official data were analyzed, complemented by an ethnographic approach to elucidate family mechanisms that could influence the family’s and children’s well-being and academic success. Eritrean children are underprivileged in the Swiss academic system compared to Swiss students and even to children from other trouble spot countries. Proactivity and future orientation of the mothers seem to help Eritrean children to interact with their life situation and strengthen the whole family, whereas absent fathers, isolated mothers, and discontinuity in the family history weaken the families and their well-being.

Keywords: Child development, Eritrea, family, refugees, single mothers