Once arrived: A qualitative study of refugees and service providers in the first six months of resettlement

Publication Date

7-1-2021

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Social Work

Volume

21

Issue

4

DOI

10.1177/1468017320929267

First Page

774

Last Page

792

Abstract

Background: The world has been facing a chronic refugee crisis. Nations that accept refugees are expected to provide culturally effective services, often without benefit of an evidence-based approach to resettlement. Summary: This study examines refugee service providers in three municipalities in Iceland and the recipients in the first six months of resettlement. Through a purposeful sampling (N = 35) of social workers and program managers (N = 10) and adult Syrian refugees (N = 25) who had arrived in Iceland six months prior, interviews were conducted and analyzed for thematic content. Findings: Providers developed methods for providing services that varied depending on resources and their expectations for the recipients. Recipients’ expectations influenced which services were perceived helpful. Integration had different meanings among the participants, and those differences informed experiences of resettlement. Applications: Countries can benefit from creating a team among the service sectors. Providers were unable to anticipate needs of refugees despite careful planning. The perceived importance of language acquisition varied among the participants. Community involvement was seen as a critical factor in the resettlement process. The initial case management of the families consumed more time and energy than some of the providers expected.

Funding Number

1641180

Funding Sponsor

National Science Foundation

Keywords

case study, culture, immigrants, refugees, Social work

Department

Social Work

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