Intersectionality in Family-Professional Partnerships Among Refugee Families and Early Educators

Refugee families are not a homogeneous group. Their experiences navigating early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood special education (ECSE), particularly family-professional partnerships (FPPs), may vary based on their intersectional identities (e.g., race, language, disability status). In this iterative qualitative study, we explored early childhood educators’ perspectives on FPPs with refugee families of children who have disabilities or are at increased risk of being identified with disabilities. Specifically, we examined how the intersectional identities of both refugee families and educators influenced their partnerships. Nine early educators participated in two rounds of semi-structured interviews and completed demographic forms. Findings revealed how early educators perceived refugee families’ intersecting identities as influencing FPPs and how these educators’ own identities shaped their approaches to partnerships. In this study, we contribute to the limited literature on the role of intersectional identities in FPPs with refugee families. Implications for future research, policy, and administrative practice are discussed.