People with disability from non-English speaking refugee backgrounds often face language and communication barriers when accessing services.
While some challenges are shared with other migrants, this group faces additional hurdles due to services that operate in isolation and fail to address both cultural and disability-related needs.
Adult migrant English programs, for example, often overlook disability, while disability services may not account for cultural and language differences. The result is that many people from refugee backgrounds are excluded or unable to easily access support.
Over the past five years, researchers partnered with refugee and disability services in Victoria and NSW, speaking with more than 50 individuals from Syrian and Iraqi backgrounds. A lack of English proficiency emerged as a significant barrier.
Many participants have lived in Australia for up to 10 years but still struggle with written and spoken English. English classes were often too fast-paced or inaccessible for people with disabilities.
One participant, who is deaf and has an acquired brain injury, said learning English was too difficult. Another, caring for her adult son with an intellectual disability, couldn’t attend classes because of her caregiving responsibilities.
Limited English is further complicated by a complex health and disability system with few interpreters. Research fellow Mahmoud Murad noted it took him years to understand how the system works. Another participant only learned about the NDIS after a hospital visit, years after arriving in Australia.
People want simple, clear information in their own language and support from someone who speaks that language..
Extracts published from Theconversation.com.au,
Published: July 22, 2022
Authors: Angela Dew, Joanne Watson, Louisa Smith, Mahmoud Murad – Deakin University
