Family Reunification and the Educational Integration of Refugee Children in Austria: A Policy and Practice Perspective

Abstract

This study explores the educational integration of refugee children in Austria from the perspectives of parents with refugee and migration backgrounds, primary school teachers, educational authorities, social workers, and after-school educators. Drawing on 15 semi-structured interviews and applying qualitative content analysis, four central categories emerged: expectations, experiences and challenges, suggestions and wishes, and best practice examples. The findings reveal that integration is shaped by complex and intersecting challenges—linguistic, systemic, and psychosocial in nature—which affect not only students but also their families and educators. Parents struggle with unfamiliar administrative structures, limited language proficiency, and a lack of culturally responsive communication from schools. Teachers and authorities recognize these barriers but report structural constraints and insufficient support. Effective integration measures identified include multilingual orientation programs, intercultural mediation, school-based initiatives such as parent cafés and counseling services, and stronger cooperation with external organizations. These results underscore the need for a multidimensional integration framework aligned with both contextual integration theory and trauma-informed pedagogy. The study supports existing policy recommendations emphasizing inclusive didactics, targeted teacher training, structural reform, and active parental inclusion. It concludes that sustainable educational integration depends on cross-sectoral collaboration and the recognition of refugee families as active partners in the school community.