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‘Like a life in a cage’: Understanding child play and social interaction in Somali refugee families in the UK

Allport, Tom; Mace, Jessica; Farah, Fatima; Yusuf, Fatima; Mahdjoubi, Lamine; Redwood, Sabi

Authors

Tom Allport

Jessica Mace

Fatima Farah

Fatima Yusuf

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Lamine Mahdjoubi Lamine.Mahdjoubi@uwe.ac.uk
Professor in Info. & Communication & Tech.

Sabi Redwood



Abstract

Migration to a different culture may affect opportunities for play and social interaction, essential for children’s developing cognitive and social skills. We asked Somali migrant women about experiences of childhood (both while growing up themselves, and subsequent observations) in Somalia and the UK. In Somalia, they described a supportive, connected community and safe environment enabling children to play and learn together. In the UK, by contrast, multiple local stressors constrained children’s opportunities to play and interact. Understanding and improving neighbourhood geography, as experienced and shaped by parents and children, would seem important for promoting early child development in refugee families.

Citation

Allport, T., Mace, J., Farah, F., Yusuf, F., Mahdjoubi, L., & Redwood, S. (2019). ‘Like a life in a cage’: Understanding child play and social interaction in Somali refugee families in the UK. Health and Place, 56, 191-201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.01.019

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 28, 2019
Online Publication Date Feb 28, 2019
Publication Date Mar 1, 2019
Deposit Date Jan 28, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Health and Place
Print ISSN 1353-8292
Electronic ISSN 1873-2054
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 56
Pages 191-201
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.01.019
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/851361
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.01.019

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