Challenges of Integrating Lithuanian Remigrant Children in School, S-ST-23-25

Project No S-ST-23-25

Project name: “Challenges of Integrating Lithuanian Remigrant Children in School”

Project duration: 2023-10-03 – 2024-04-30

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Gražina Čiuladienė

Student: Janina Ovčinikova

About the project. Children’s social and academic integration in an educational institution has an impact on their well-being, well-being and academic achievement, which is why it is essential to provide comprehensive support at school based on the psychological, social and educational needs of returnee children. In order to ensure the quality of education for returnee children as they integrate into school, it is important to find out about the experiences of returnee families and educational institutions. The aim of the study is to explore the challenges in the process of integration of returnee children in Vilnius mainstream schools.

To achieve this, the objectives are:

1. To reveal the personal, family and school factors that facilitate/obstruct the integration of returnee children in general education.

2. To reveal the expectations of support for the integration process of children with re-migration and their parents.

3. To define the type of support needed by teachers, education professionals in the integration of re-migrant children. Focused group discussion survey of 6-8 teachers  a semi-structured survey of 6 – 8 groups of teachers and education support specialists, with the discussions organised in three – four schools in Vilnius city; 3) a survey of 6 – 8 groups of teachers and semi-structured interviews with about 10 returnee children and about 10 – 15 of their parents (guardians).

The data from the research will allow for the preparation of recommendations for improving the integration of re-migrant children, which is in line with the need to strengthen the readiness of Lithuanian educational institutions to integrate re-migrant children into the education system. Data-driven education is an important prerequisite to ensure academic support and to provide social and emotional support for returnee children in line with expectations.

The project is funded by the Lithuanian Research Council under the Student Research Semesters programme.