Parenting is already a journey filled with challenges, but for asylum seekers and immigrants, raising children in a new country comes with added struggles of cultural adaptation, systemic barriers, and social isolation. In this episode of Our Story, Your Voice, hosts Judith Nyanjowa and Lillian Musiitwa are joined by Karen Savile, a social worker for SAWN, to discuss the unique difficulties faced by migrant parents.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
🔹 Parenting in unfamiliar territory - how adjusting to a new country, language, and social norms affects raising children.
🔹 Navigating cultural differences - balancing traditional parenting values with Western societal expectations.
🔹 The education system - understanding schooling in the UK and supporting children’s learning while adapting to a different structure.
🔹 Systemic challenges - dealing with racism, legal restrictions, and lack of access to services as an asylum-seeking parent.
🔹 The emotional toll - how the stress of immigration status, financial struggles, and social isolation impacts parenting.
🔹 Support systems & resources - how organisations like SAWN help parents build community and access necessary support.
From discipline and cultural identity to mental health and access to services, this episode provides a much-needed discussion on the realities of migrant parenting, one filled with both struggles and resilience.
🎧 Tune in for an eye-opening conversation on what it truly means to parent while navigating the asylum system and the challenges of a new life in a foreign land.