Voices from the margins: experiences of misrecognition among refugee and asylum parents of children with disabilities upon entry to the education system in England

The experiences of refugee and asylum-seeking parents of children with special educational needs (SEND) remain underexplored in educational research. In response, this paper centres the voices of those parents as they navigate the English education system for their children with SEND. Through episodic interviews, the narratives of the parents were analysed through Bourdieu’s theoretical framework of capital, habitus, and field which provided a rigorous lens through which to examine how intersecting personal identities and systemic structures shape parents’ experiences and interactions with education, health and social care professionals. Findings reveal the significant barriers experienced by the parents when navigating a sudden immersion into an unfamiliar and complex education system. This study highlights how the label of ‘refugee’ or ‘asylum seeker’ dominated attitudes and biases from the professionals, ultimately defining the support individuals received underscoring the complexity and importance of cultural awareness in supporting these early experiences. The implications of this study signify the need to theoretically reconceptualise the labels of refuge and asylum, moving away from intrinsic characteristics to extrinsic causes of vulnerability created by a complex system. These insights have practical implications for reducing marginalisation and improving support for refugee and asylum-seeking families within SEND and education systems.