Millions of the displaced children at risk of developmental delays in refugee camps are invisible to the communities. Despite the rise in the number of refugee women and children with disabilities due to escalating global unrest, very little is known about the prevalence of childhood impairment among this population. This phenomenological study examined how the African refugee communities perceive disability. Semi-structured interviews of families’ lived experiences identified three themes that may effectively impact the identification and referral of refugee children at risk for disabilities. 1) Perceptions of the definition of disability 2) Perceptions of disability causes and 3) Community expectations of people with disability. On a global perspective, the findings of the study will inform stakeholders including early childhood teachers in inclusive settings, agencies, and non-governmental organizations on the impact of cultural perceptions of disability on identification, referral, and evaluation of children at risk for disabilities in developing nations.

Author: Lucy W. Gitonga

Published in: World Congress on Special Needs Education (WCSNE-2023)

• Date of Conference: 13-15 November 2023
• DOI: 10.20533/WCSNE.2023.0004
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-67-9
• Conference Location: St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK