A report on a fifth phase of research carried out with newly arrived refugees in Australia explores the lived experiences of refugees with disability. Research on the experiences of refugees with disability in countries such as Australia is very limited, but points to a series of intersecting issues that both contribute to and hinder their settlement and integration as they begin a new chapter of their lives.
The research sheds light on these experiences from surveys and interviews conducted in 2024 with newly arrived refugees with disability and their carers/family members. Research participants were mostly from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan and had lived in Australia for an average of about four years. The topics in the survey and interviews focused on experiences in relation to:
- social connections – bonds, bridges and links
- markers and means – functional dimensions of integration, including housing, work, education, leisure, and health and wellbeing
- rights and responsibilities – fulfilling social and civic responsibilities and access to rights and equality.
It finds that experiences across social connections, engagement with services and access to rights are deeply interrelated, particularly for refugees who face challenges magnified by experiences of disability.
Settlement and integration rely on whole-of-community approaches, and on actions from refugees, host communities and government at all levels. This research points to a series of actions that governments, policymakers, service providers and others can pursue to strengthen their contributions to the settlement and integration of refugees with disability.
