Ukrainian Parents' Engagement with Czech Public Schools: Challenges and Roles for Parents

Abstract

Even though school-based parental involvement has been linked to academic and behavioral benefits for children, little is known about the links between parental involvement for Ukrainian refugee families and contextual factors such as Czech language fluency, teaching styles, and student assessment. Identifying the barriers and limitations to cooperation between the home and the school might contribute to helping refugee children adjust to their new life in the host country. The article presents the results of a study with an exploratory qualitative approach using interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis for data interpretation. The study was designed to explore the multiple barriers that refugee families face when engaging with their children’s Czech public schools. The results revealed that Ukrainian parents encountered a number of challenges and that a welcoming school environment was crucial for involving them in their child’s school.