Drawing belonging: Refugee and migrant children’s voices of starting early childhood and primary school in Aotearoa New Zealand
Background: Articles 12 and 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child affirm children’s rights to express their views and be heard. For refugee and migrant children, starting early childhood or school involves navigating new languages, relationships, and environments. Approaches that centre children’s voices are important for understanding these experiences.
Aim: This study aimed to foreground refugee and migrant children’s perspectives on starting early childhood or school in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a focus on belonging, participation, and inclusion.
Method/approach: This study received ethical approval (Division of Education Research Ethics Committee at the University of Waikato, FEDU009/26). A participatory, child-centred qualitative approach was used, using dialogic drawing activities where 12 children drew and discussed their experiences of starting early childhood education or school. Participants were refugee and migrant children aged 3–8 years, reflecting on recent transition experiences. Parental consent and child assent were obtained. Drawings and conversations were analysed thematically to explore and represent children’s perspectives.
Results/findings: An analysis identified four themes. Children described friendships, feeling safe, and supportive relationships as central to belonging. They demonstrated agency by helping peers and families through translating and sharing routines. Learning English and new skills strengthened confidence and participation. Children also identified language barriers and unfamiliar environments as challenges, while recognising responsive school practices that supported inclusion. Dialogic drawing generated rich insights into children’s transition experiences.
Conclusion: The dialogic drawing approach enabled meaningful insights into children’s lived experiences and supported their right to be heard. Findings show that refugee and migrant children actively contribute to inclusive learning environments when their voices are recognised and valued.
Implications for children and families: You can support your child by listening to their experiences and sharing their voice with teachers. Parents in this study emphasised that when children feel heard and understood, they are more confident and able to participate and belong.
Implications for practitioners: You can support children by using simple approaches like drawing and conversation to listen to their voices, helping you understand their experiences and strengthen their sense of belonging and inclusion.
Funding: Teaching Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) funded research for 2026.
Keywords: children’s voices, participatory research, dialogic drawing, refugee and migrant children, inclusion, belonging
This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: