FAIR - Family violence affecting children from immigrant & refugee backgrounds
Project Details
Children are frequently victims of DFV, experiencing physical, emotional and sexual abuse and serious harms from violence inflicted on other family members. Approximately one third of Australia’s population were born overseas and almost half have at least one parent born overseas. Services, including Police, legal, domestic and family violence, and child protection services are under-resourced to adequately meet the specific needs of children and young people from immigrant and refugee families.
This project is exploring the impacts of exposure to domestic and family violence (DFV) on children and young people from immigrant and refugee families with the goal of informing service system responses.
This Project aims to improve the safety of children and reduce long-term harms and cycles of disadvantage and inequity. The need for evidence to support immigrant and refugee children exposed to DFV is clear. Approximately one third of Australia’s population were born overseas and almost half have at least one parent born overseas. Statistics indicate high prevalence of DFV across all demographic groups with children from immigrant and refugee backgrounds vulnerable to specific harms and poorly served by current response systems. Many encounter multiple services with the potential to offer support but the limited available evidence suggests their experiences are currently suboptimal at best and put them in greater danger at worst.
The project will generate much needed evidence to support service providers and policymakers in multiple sectors (including early-childhood, health, education, family violence, multicultural, justice and child protection) to respond more effectively and appropriately to experiences and circumstances of immigrant and refugee children and young people.
Youth Advisory group
The Youth Advisory group serves as a powerful platform for young individuals to share their stories, insights, and ideas. The group consists of seven young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds who have lived experience of family violence.
The group meets regularly throughout the year to discuss the project and provide key guidance on research methods, recruitment, ethical considerations and data analysis.
Staff
Research collaborators
MYAN (Multicultural Youth Advocacy Services)
Australian Childhood Foundation
Research funding
Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation
Project Resources
FAIR Scoping review infographic
This scoping review explored how children and young people from culturally and racially
marginalised (CARM) migrant backgrounds experience domestic and family violence. The review also examined service responses to domestic and family violence including child protection
“Hidden Victims” - Family Violence Affecting Children from Culturally and Racially Marginalised Migrant Backgrounds: Perceptions and Experiences of Mothers.
FAIR Cultural Safety infographic
Cultural safety in family violence prevention & response: Service provider perspectives on caring for children and young people from culturally and racially marginalised migrant backgrounds
This webinar recording discusses how children and young people from culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) migrant backgrounds experience domestic and family violence.
A group of young people from culturally and racially marginalised migrant backgrounds across Australia participated in digital storytelling workshops with the FAIR research team and produced a set of videos based on their lived experiences of domestic and family violence and accessing support services.
Research Publications
Tarpey-Brown G, Kirwan J, Wise S, Alisic E, Vaughan C, Block K. Domestic and Family Violence Affecting Children and Young People from Culturally and Racially Marginalized Migrant Backgrounds in Australia: A Scoping Review of Child Experiences and Service Responses. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2024 Dec;25(5):3872-3886. doi: 10.1177/15248380241265386. Epub 2024 Jul 27. PMID: 39066616; PMCID: PMC11545364.