Creating Spaces of Wellbeing and Belonging for Refugee and Asylum-Seeker Students: Skills and Strategies for School Leaders

This practical resource for principals and school leaders provides guidance on how to develop schools into places of belonging for all children, especially children of refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds. It demonstrates the need for school leaders to be informed, reflective individuals and highlights the role that leaders can play in a school culture that provides a safe place and effective educational opportunities for these students. Written in an accessible manner, each chapter includes a summary of theory and vignettes from school leaders that outline approaches, challenges, critical reflections and suggestions for how their experiences can be adapted to other contexts. Principals’ voices and experiences from across the globe are included, representing a range of school levels including primary and secondary, large and small enrolments, religious and public, and urban and rural settings. This book is intended for use in schools by school principals and aspiring school leaders, and by educational professionals engaged in supporting schools with students with refugee backgrounds.