International Journal of Social Pedagogy

Social pedagogical work with children, youth and their families with refugee and migrant background in Europe

A International Journal of Social Pedagogy Special Series.

How does social pedagogy manifest itself when examined from within the field of working with children, youth and their families in the context of refugee and migration in Europe?

This is the pivotal question of this special issue, which seeks to examine the social pedagogical work and identify challenges and possibilities with this group of children, youth, and their families through different disciplinary lenses.

The stream of refugees and migrants, especially from the so-called developing countries in (nearly) all European states during recent years, highlights the necessity of dealing with the complex questions on how to develop social pedagogical interventions that address these challenges. Children, youth and their families from migrant and refugee backgrounds have already been highly debated in Europe, during the last few years, and social pedagogical work already plays a central role with regards to improving this group of people’s everyday life, living conditions, and access to education and the society in general.

This group of children, youth, and their families is often facing numerous challenges already known in the research field, i.e. language, social and emotional problems, growing up, or living in poverty, difficulties getting access to education and work, as well as the possibilities of social inclusion in the society. There is a strong need for knowledge to inform our understanding on how social pedagogical work with children, youth, and their families in the context of refugee and migration in all its forms, is carried out in different countries, and there is a need to analyse and reflect social pedagogy theory and practice in the research field.

This special series aims to analyse social pedagogical work with children, youth, and their families in the context of refugees and migration, with varying empirical focuses and theoretical perspectives based on how social pedagogy works.

Publication date: From April 2021 - October 2022.

Guest Editor

Associate Professor Kirsten Elisa Petersen, Danish School of Education - Educational Psychology, Emdrup, DPU, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Associate Professor Niels Rosendal Jensen, Danish School of Education - Educational Psychology, Emdrup, DPU, Aarhus University, Denmark.