[Dpo-officemanagers] FW: Australia - Empowering Migrant & Refugee Women - Research

Thu Oct 19 00:56:01 MDT 2017

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Subject: Australia - Empowering Migrant & Refugee Women - Research

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[Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australian Government]<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/&c=E,1,RM_9ojQAGU4jiZJIhkdjxfAOeYWXCpmxRnMKHvVLi8ExgYPyjfPKyw1Pqtd5JgkjRx-zcO902MB_o8rUw0wQJsFcYbDSPWsSXt6KQZa2g2NYRZc,&typo=1>

https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women&c=E,1,vgw-QrAcVw25O24YFghtzgjmObYsFLLuZa8Bh0mU1miNiTLwS7YXE-KoJJ91eZiVBF-GI0lWPrP8_gSA-AO2XP50nTWWKs6nR-pEoW3kMvoitR0BJkeL&typo=1>

https://aifs.gov.au/publications/executive-summary-1<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/executive-summary-1&c=E,1,-u_mGALnSX1-MSxV-kNj0U8ollhjd5aJEWLuTcb4efOV886AAd_DEIRxTt4pqzoXeXwqVTjVAxFxNC3yVy8Qi4zktRctkcIiaGHBy0K913zd-qKt&typo=1>

Australia - Empowering Migrant & Refugee Women
Supporting and empowering women beyond five-year post-settlement
Research Report No. 38 - September 2017

  *   Executive summary<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/executive-summary-1&c=E,1,LVvxBLW84q_3HqLCAZlYsGT7P6WGBECmvjcdNyZbwQfkjJuZxeFWp6wqSgRc7Q_ywXYOmK0JmFe-v5irOVJ3ljDo_Yn1aUzp_I8FLaBXP0tmHiTn0Tg3JS0MRA,,&typo=1>
  *   1. Introduction<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/1-introduction&c=E,1,fzgel6uJrkRUepV0tdrTXpw3e_DErm1VF05bsG-dI1JbUQLb4xBd5P4jiCthQx5cco3qFr1Fn3XCJxmnVOwcqKCYxnGn9KeRlgS10P3Ujngl07vUpQ,,&typo=1>
  *   2. Research design and methodology<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/2-research-design-and-methodology&c=E,1,xbdwHZzzoU87eng6h1jY72FG6C6RNpCHt2dRujuPmQOLLyLZH-WPqRAJEgS-0D6W8ytqudTisgg9_9wsef_RuiSm3BbiUZEIagxWHhoKMIwsVmuU4Bmv1pI,&typo=1>
  *   3. Economic participation of migrant and refugee women<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/3-economic-participation-migrant-and-refugee-women&c=E,1,3TEka32vWCDySMhjtqI6eyZq0xA1aqwRuwo2HpxEP6kf67cJGfVXe3mG8hOZP5ru6Hoo-EZll_qGdgJBU0zmM1-nfK5e3DkMk1wVkKPm6A,,&typo=1>
  *   4. The service delivery landscape: Types of programs available, barriers to service access, and best practice in service delivery<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/4-service-delivery-landscape-types-programs-available-barriers-service-access-and-best-practice&c=E,1,trVO6Kwz0JXWKDTI5SZk_0Md1nuPEMXjNZtQLFRuPB0y7CiBq9FWO3nsHhdQBZe2AirOFesuFvykM-ZZTbP4WdktcRPnXhqSjYqQjenwyNripAIA&typo=1>
  *   5. Service gaps and key priorities<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/5-service-gaps-and-key-priorities&c=E,1,PsKY-Vg9C2DMQVbUvYeEvIPMnsnwzYrLSpOUDK-28ZLJ92bJG51_35cF0HX1Mxg2o5ZOMfWJCBUMIHmJma2RU0h-BD9USl4Ihk4gPsQSebRu7NC2aOPC&typo=1>
  *   6. Research summary and implications for practice<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/6-research-summary-and-implications-practice&c=E,1,MMG2ziKM87CJME9dOF547KP11VzhSuHoJut6O48OgqAyYpRZXmOk95e-uhvQOS6oUzfJn-67f0dn6KrupQBT-ITSuP1RwrqwKn_x1zHCPGcMWaA,&typo=1>
  *   References<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/references&c=E,1,v9Doswuz0zDI-5ZCe6R9rWE3ZdEOK0ah4rpTuwqOdTzmFrQQACt4n76xTj1F9iS2CroqdnblFQtp82QTyopn529XBR5P-GIxFns95K0,&typo=1>
View publication as a single page<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/empowering-migrant-and-refugee-women/export&c=E,1,4Q9eADn95_HMp3BRLKUWyU6q7xxQfBIoM0fGskmDS7bgEgdRzAdJCZZH22RueDUI5HkfJcrLCTHxJuUNgWxVzgCyUU_gOhM-nvOi5efDAs7QpxBWZwxnUmWW9A,,&typo=1>
Executive Summary
Aims and focus of the research
The study focused on two specific cohorts of migrant women who have been in Australia for more than five years. One cohort is former Humanitarian Programme entrants including Woman at Risk visa holders and the other cohort is women who entered Australia on family visas.
The project had the following key aims:
?  Improve understanding of the current state of migrant women's economic and social participation.
?  Document the nature and types of services available to these two cohorts of migrant women.
?  Assess the extent to which these services/programs are evidence-based or display promising practices.
?  Identify best practice and service gaps in relation to services and programs provided to Humanitarian Programme migrants or family stream migrants who have been in Australia for five years or more.
?  Provide recommendations on key priorities for government to undertake in filling these gaps.
Research design
The study comprised two distinct components:
?  to improve understanding of migrant women's economic and social participation, which involved secondary analyses of two key datasets: 1) the Australian Census and Migrants Integrated Dataset (ACMID; 2011 Census); and 2) the Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA) dataset; and
?  to identify good practice and key gaps in service and program delivery, primary data was collected via: 1) stakeholder consultations (and an Expert Reference Group); 2) an online quantitative survey (n = 129); and 3) semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 13), with service providers delivering programs and services to migrant and refugee women.
The findings in this report are based on the perspectives of service providers who were asked to reflect on their professional practices and service delivery in the online survey or qualitative interview. Speaking to migrant women themselves about their issues with service delivery access would be a useful future direction to complement this research and further enhance understanding of the service sector.
Key findings
Migrant women's characteristics and economic and social participation
Secondary data analyses of migrant and refugee women who had been in Australia between five and ten years (at 2011) was undertaken to explore characteristics of women according to visa type, and to compare these women's characteristics to those of Australian-born women. Even among migrant women who had arrived on humanitarian or family visas there was considerable diversity. However, on average, the migrant women who had arrived on humanitarian visas and had been in Australia between five and ten years, had relatively low levels of English language proficiency and relatively low levels of educational attainment compared to those arriving on family visas. Women who had arrived on humanitarian visas also had the lowest levels of engagement in employment. Levels of English language proficiency and employment participation were higher for those who had been in Australia longer. A significant number of all the migrant and refugee women included in the analyses were not proficient in English after ten years in Australia, particularly among those who arrived on humanitarian visas. Likewise, employment rates remained low for some groups of migrant women relative to Australian-born women, even after ten years in Australia.
Barriers to employment include poor English language proficiency and low education levels, and this was especially so for humanitarian visa holders. The analyses highlight the importance of the uptake of English classes and other forms of education after arrival to help migrant women engage in employment.
The landscape: program and service delivery for migrant and refugee women
Insights gained through the online survey and qualitative interviews highlighted the complexities of service delivery to migrant and refugee women. Clients accessing these services were reported to be facing many challenges, particularly in regard to English language proficiency and lower education levels compared to the Australian-born women. Therefore, a key challenge in providing services to migrant women was the need to accommodate the diverse language needs of these clients through the availability of information in other languages and bilingual workers. Survey participants told us these aspects of service delivery could sometimes be a particular challenge for mainstream service providers.
Survey participants identified a range of barriers that could hinder the uptake of services by migrant women. These barriers include language barriers; family responsibilities and gender roles of migrant and refugee women; the location of services and transport issues; and inflexible service delivery approaches. Lack of awareness of available services and/or confidence in knowing how to access these services was also identified as a barrier. More generally, participants noted the transition from specialist services to mainstream services could prove challenging for migrant and refugee women, due to the diluted level of language and culturally appropriate responses provided by mainstream services. Furthermore, many people do not take up services and rely on other informal support networks (e.g., family support networks and friends).
The study revealed a wide variety of program and service types being delivered to migrant women. Most service providers reported that their organisations delivered multiple services to their client group rather than just one dedicated program or service. In terms of how clients were referred to services, service providers reported that clients often directly approached services, without referrals. In some cases, informal referral pathways were also used such as hearing about services from community and family members. Otherwise, formal pathways included referrals from other mainstream services or service providers, and referrals from government.
Evidence-based service delivery and program evaluation
A key aim of the study was to assess the extent to which services and programs were evidence-based. Most survey participants reported that evidence-based practices were a feature of the programs and services delivered to migrant and refugee women. For example, a little over one half of participants reported their service or program was based on an already existing evidence-based program. The majority (around two thirds) reported that aspects of their service, such as program aims and objectives, were documented and readily available to other service providers. A little over three quarters of participants reported that at least one type of evaluation of their program or service had been undertaken to measure impact and client outcomes.
Best-practice principles in service delivery for migrant women and their families
The project aimed to identify best practice in service delivery to migrant women. Five key principles were identified by service providers as being important in supporting migrant women and enhancing service delivery to the cohort.
?  Service providers highlighted the need to deliver services in a gender responsive and culturally appropriate manner. While it may seem obvious, it is clearly a central aspect of delivering best practice to migrant and refugee women.
?  Culturally competent delivery was also identified as being critical for both engaging clients and maintaining ongoing relationships with their client base. A culturally diverse and bilingual workforce (including the employment of migrant and refugee women themselves) was identified as a key aspect of best practice.
?  Survey participants nominated collaboration with other settlement and mainstream service providers as an important mechanism for empowering and supporting migrant women, offering referral opportunities that would not be possible otherwise and ensuring holistic service responses. Collaboration with mainstream services was also vital where migrant women services did not have expertise in a particular area, for example partnering with specialised family violence services.
?  Fostering collaborative relationships with migrant and refugee community leaders was also critical as these relationships helped services better understand the needs and experiences of their clients and also served an important purpose in promoting service visibility.
?  A strengths-based approach to service delivery harnessed the positives and strengths that migrant women and refugees possess and was another key avenue to empowering these women.
Key gaps in service and program delivery and key priorities to fill these service gaps
An important focus of the study was to explore issues around service gaps and key priorities in the provision of services to migrant women. Five service gaps were identified by service providers, and some priorities were identified to help address each of these gaps.
1. Delivery of services in a gender sensitive and responsive way: Many survey participants noted that cultural norms and gender roles could hinder the uptake of services. Effective service delivery also needs to be attuned to the added family and caring obligations that migrant women were often responsible for. Flexibility in service access, eligibility and delivery options was seen to be an important mechanism to address these issues.
The service providers gave the example of migrant and refugee women experiencing competing tensions between their need to learn English and secure employment and their need to care for family and children. Clients may then commence English classes and seek employment later, after their family is more settled in Australia. These results highlight the importance of flexible program designs that recognise that clients' needs can vary over time. Along with identifying client needs at intake, regular and ongoing needs assessments could therefore help support effective service delivery to migrant women.
Priorities
The design and delivery of services and programs are provided in a gender responsive way, being mindful of particular gender issues within the cultural context.
While eligible Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) clients can apply for an extension to the five year time limit to commence classes, consideration should be given to making English language classes via AMEP available after five years of settlement to migrant and refugee women with caring responsibilities. This specific recommendation refers to the broader finding that effective service and program delivery requires an understanding of the potential challenges for migrant women in relation to employment and education, given competing priorities of family and child care responsibilities.1<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://aifs.gov.au/publications/executive-summary-1%23footnote-001&c=E,1,e8TlkZpOrRTRfnq2_c9Bezn4gH6yFj6yueDGRO_EXb-H43CR2udaWyrzVtCZU13u9M30WZowZoaNtQy3eDCC-PHzjFKLtpDqvOnMJLNSfwy1AZjDgC2MJNuZIA,,&typo=1>
Programs that recognise that clients' needs vary at different points in the settlement journey and "one size does not fit all". Identifying client needs at intake and regular and ongoing needs assessments can promote effective service delivery by ensuring that programs and services support clients as their needs evolve over time
2. Cultural competency and mainstream service delivery: Our participants suggested that there was great variation in service providers' ability to deliver services in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner within mainstream services. Study participants reported that mainstream service providers may sometimes lack the cultural competency required to provide appropriate support to migrant and refugee women. They may also lack knowledge of cultural and religious differences, which may hinder their ability to provide effective services. The service providers emphasised the importance of training and support for mainstream services to enhance understanding of cultural practices within different ethnic groups, which could then be reflected in their program and service delivery.
Priorities
An increased focus for mainstream service providers on the importance of culturally and linguistically appropriate delivery of services for this client group. This will help to ensure that the needs of refugee and migrant women are supported and achieved.
Training and other supports for mainstream programs and services to further enhance culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery.
3. Greater visibility and promotion of service accessibility: Barriers to service access were identified as a much greater challenge than the availability of services. While many services provided materials and promotion in languages other than English, language barriers were reported by participants to be the most significant barrier hindering migrant women from accessing appropriate services. Study participants reported that up-skilling former clients and volunteers so that they can assist in the delivery of services is one approach to help address language barriers and culturally competent service delivery. The promotion of services to client groups was seen as important to ensuring that migrant women could access the services they require to support their needs. An offering of outreach services was identified by participants as one way to help promote greater levels of service accessibility to migrant women. This would need adequate resourcing.
Priorities
Priority needs to be given to promoting the visibility and accessibility of existing services to key client groups.
Programs and services are supported to up-skill former clients and volunteers from a refugee and migrant background to assist in the delivery of services. This can help to address language barriers and promote service accessibility.
Programs and services are supported to offer flexible services such as outreach and home visits to help promote accessibility of services to migrant and refugee women.
There is a need for the delivery of program and service promotion in languages other than English to ensure clients are matched to appropriate services and client needs are understood.
4. Transition to mainstream services and the move towards mainstream service delivery in large hubs: The challenges and issues with the transition to mainstream service delivery for migrant and refugee women are those related to gender and culture, as well as the other factors discussed above. The way these services are accessed can be a challenge, with mainstream services increasingly delivered through service delivery hubs, which involves a central intake point that then links or refers clients to other services. While survey participants acknowledged service delivery hubs as an important model, some concerns were raised that this approach had the potential to dilute the cultural and linguistic capacity and flexibility required to provide services and support the needs of migrant and refugee women. Some suggested the move towards more centralised service delivery could also create anxiety and uncertainty for those migrants who lack English language proficiency when they are asked to undertake intake and assessment procedures over the telephone.
Priorities
Further research is needed to explore how best to support migrant and refugee women as they transition from specialist services to mainstream services.
Consideration should be given to providing funding for community and grassroots services to partner with mainstream services to ensure post-settlement needs for migrant women are met.
The provision of funding to ensure migrant and refugee specialists are part of service delivery hubs should be explored.
5. Funding for post-settlement services and reporting requirements: A lack of dedicated funding towards support services for migrant and refugee women in the post-settlement period (that is beyond five years after arrival) was identified as a service gap by the service providers participating in the research. Some service providers noted that they provide support to refugee and migrant women across the settlement spectrum, from new arrivals through to women who have been settled in Australia for up to 20 years. However, there is little to no dedicated funding for targeted services beyond the initial five-year settlement period.
Service providers also reported that existing funding arrangements make it necessary for their organisations to undertake several small grant applications and secure funding from a diverse range of sources in order to maintain their presence in the service landscape and deliver services to their client group. Service providers told us that securing funding for their programs and services via these mechanisms often involved additional reporting and evaluation of outcomes and these requirements divert resources from actual service delivery. To balance the need between reporting requirements and efficient service delivery, further consideration could be given to whether information provided through other reporting mechanisms could streamline reporting requirements for service providers working in this space.
Priorities
Explore options to streamline funding sources and reduce red tape to maximise efficient delivery of services and minimise administrative tasks.
Undertake more focused research to better understand how funding arrangements and the provision of services in the post-settlement period (five years after arrival) can best support migrant and refugee women.

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