An Integrated Approach to Supporting Refugee Children
Presented by Perla Rubi, M.Ed., Blanca Saldivar, M.Ed., Hannah Paullin, M.Ed., and Pip McGirl, Ed.D., M.Ed.
Recorded on Thursday, November 16th, 2023
Access provided upon registration on “My Courses” page
Newcomer refugee students arriving in U.S. schools often face significant trauma-related challenges, including high rates of violence exposure and limited schooling. Such trauma can detrimentally impact academic progress, motivation, and school completion. To address these challenges, approaches rooted in ecological systems theory, constructivism, and sociocultural theory may be most effective.
This session will address the major issues that impact refugee children and their families while navigating the school system. Presenters will review the research and describe strategies for supporting the inclusion, academic progress, and social-emotional behaviors of refugee children. This presentation will focus on strategies for integrated support of refugee children.
Access provided upon registration on “My Courses” page
This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 1.0 APA CEs for Psychologists, 1.0 IL CEUS for Counselors and Social Workers, 1.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs, 1.0 NASP CPDUs for School Psychologists, or 1.0 ISBE CPDs for Illinois Educators.
Newcomer refugee students arriving in U.S. schools often face significant trauma-related challenges, including high rates of violence exposure and limited schooling. Such trauma can detrimentally impact academic progress, motivation, and school completion. To address these challenges, approaches rooted in ecological systems theory, constructivism, and sociocultural theory may be most effective.
This session will address the major issues that impact refugee children and their families while navigating the school system. Presenters will review the research and describe strategies for supporting the inclusion, academic progress, and social-emotional behaviors of refugee children. This presentation will focus on strategies for integrated support of refugee children.
After attending this introductory-level program, participants will be able to:
- Describe the barriers affecting refugee children and how trauma may manifest in refugee children.
- Define how constructivism and sociocultural theory can be used to provide integrated support for refugee children.
- List how psychologists can support the inclusion, academic progress, and social-emotional behaviors of refugee children.
This program meets APA’s continuing education STANDARD 1.1: Program content focuses on application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that have overall consistent and credible empirical support in the contemporary peer reviewed scientific literature beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach.
This program meets APA’s continuing education GOAL 1: Program is relevant to psychological practice, education, and/or science.
General Admission: $20
The Chicago School Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $15*
The Chicago School Students: $10*
(*Please email [email protected] for coupon code)
Refund Policy: 100% of tuition is refundable up to 48 hours before the program. Within 48 hours of the program, and at any point in Homestudy format, tuition is nonrefundable.
Betancourt, T. S., Newnham, E. A., Birman, D., Lee, R., Ellis, B. H., & Layne, C. M. (2017). Comparing trauma exposure, mental health needs, and service utilization across clinical samples of refugee, immigrant, and U.S.‐origin children. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 209–218.
Block, K., Cross, S., Riggs, E., & Gibbs, L. (2014). Supporting schools to create an inclusive environment for refugee students. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18(12), 1337-1355.
De Deckker, K. (2018). Understanding trauma in the refugee context. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 28(2), 248–259.
Eads, R. (2023). Navigating post‐trauma realities in family systems: Applying social constructivism and systems theory to youth and family trauma. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 00, 1-11.
Georgis, R., Gokiert, R. J., Ford, D. M., & Ali, M. (2014). Creating inclusive parent engagement practices: Lessons learned from a school community collaborative supporting newcomer refugee families. Multicultural Education, 21(3), 23–27.
Lang, N. W. (2019). Teachers’ translanguaging practices and “safe spaces” for adolescent newcomers: Toward alternative visions. Bilingual Research Journal, 42(1), 73–89.
Newcomer, S. N., Ardasheva, Y., Morrison, J. A., Ernst-Slavit, G., Morrison, S. J., Carbonneau, K. J., & Lightner, L. K. (2021). “Whoa… welcome to America!”: Supporting refugee background students’ socioemotional well-being, English language development, and content area learning. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 35(3), 417–437.
Palmer, D. K., Martínez, R. A., Mateus, S. G., & Henderson, K. (2014). Reframing the debate on language separation: Toward a vision for translanguaging pedagogies in the dual language classroom. The Modern Language Journal, 98(3), 757–772.
Reynolds, A. D., & Bacon, R. (2018). Interventions supporting the social integration of refugee children and youth in school communities: A review of the literature. Advances in Social Work, 18(3), 745–766.
Rumsey, A. D., Golubovic, N., Elston, N., Chang, C. Y., Dixon, A., & Guvensel, K. (2018). Addressing the social and emotional needs of refugee adolescents in schools: Learning from the experiences of school counselors. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 4(1), 81–100.
Schunk, D. H. (2020). Learning theories: an educational perspective (Eighth edition.). Pearson.
Perla Rubi, M.Ed., Doctoral Student
Perla Rubi is a doctoral student in the School Psychology department at The Chicago School. Her doctoral research examines the role of acculturation and language on Latino parent advocacy during individualized education plan (IEP) meetings. Perla has gained training experience at the Autism, Assessment, Research, Treatment and Services (AARTS) Center, Rush NeuroBehavioral Center, Maine West High School, Stevenson Elementary School, and Lindop School. During her training experiences, she has supported bilingual students and their families. Additionally, she has completed the Social Justice Leadership Program at The Chicago School
Blanca Saldivar, M.Ed., Doctoral Student
Blanca Saldivar is a doctoral student in the School Psychology department at The Chicago School. Her doctoral research examines the relationship between adolescent-maternal attachment and adolescent-peer conflict resolution styles among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White students. Blanca has gained training experience at Maine West High School, Under the Rainbow at Mount Sinai Hospital, Whitney Young High School, Evergreen Academy Middle School, and Shields Middle School. During her training experiences, she has supported bilingual students and their families. Blanca also has a background as a registered behavioral technician.
Hannah Paullin, M.Ed., Doctoral Student
Hannah Paullin is a doctoral student in the School Psychology department at The Chicago School. Her doctoral research examines the impact of trauma exposure on teachers. Hannah has gained training experience at Connection Day School, Advocate Trauma Recovery Center, Eisenhower Elementary School, and Lindop Elementary School. During her training experiences, she has gained extensive knowledge of trauma interventions. Hannah also has a background as a registered behavioral technician.
Pip McGirl, Ed.D., M.Ed.
Pip McGirl is Full Professor in School Psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Dr McGirl earned her Doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Bristol, England. She worked as a specialist educational psychologist in the UK for 10 years before moving to Chicago in August 2010. As a lead for the UK government funded Targeted Mental Health for Schools (TaMHS) initiative she developed training in ‘Mental Health Skills for Schools’ and established a team of school based counselor/therapists and family workers. Dr. McGirl is an advocate of multidisciplinary working and has been involved in a number of projects focused on developing parenting programs and pathways for multidisciplinary, ecological assessment and personalized intervention for children and young people with behavior difficulties arising from complex neuro developmental conditions. She has provided training for schools in cognition and learning, and promotion of social and emotional well being for pupils with ADHD, ASC and early childhood trauma. Throughout her career Dr McGirl has focused on increasing accessibility of mental health services for children and adolescents through the development of a community model of mental health, delivered in the schools. Dr McGirl has a particular interest in nurture, attachment, developmental trauma and resilience, bringing her expertise to the role of Research Director at The Theraplay Institute until 2017. She has presented internationally on topics related to trauma, attachment and resilience and current research interests include the neurobiology of moral development. Dr McGirl is a NASP PREPaRE trainer, certified to deliver training in School Crisis Prevention and Intervention. Dr McGirl is the recipient of 7 TCSPP Faculty Internationalization Grants/ Globe Grants, which have supported her work in Rwanda and South Africa since 2014. She has collaborated with University of Rwanda, College of Education to introduce School Counseling programs there and provided consultancy and training for NGO and Government Organizations working with vulnerable populations, including the development of trauma informed ECD practice. Dr McGirl is also an adjunct with the Department of International Psychology, for whom she developed and teaches courses in Community Resilience and Healing. She has been the lead for International Psychology Field Experience to Rwanda since 2014. Dr McGirl is an advocate for Children’s Rights and serves as International School Psychology Representative to Child Rights Connect, Geneva Switzerland.
Target Audience: Mental health professionals, educators, and students.
Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods.
Counselors/Clinical Counselors. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available 1.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for counselors and clinical counselors. License Number: 197.000159
Social Workers. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for social workers. License Number: 159.001036
MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs: Course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. If you are licensed outside of California please check with your local licensing agency to to determine if they will accept these CEUs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to offer continuing education programming for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an accredited or approved postsecondary institution that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 4980.54(f)(1), 4989.34, 4996.22(d)(1), or 4999.76(d) of the Code.
Illinois Educators. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 hours of continuing professional development units. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an approved provider for continuing professional development by the Illinois State Board of Education.
School Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 hours of continuing professional development. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s School Psychology Program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to offer continuing professional development. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this continuing professional development activity.
Participation Certificate. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is able to provide students and other participants who simply wish to have documentation of their attendance at the program a participation certificate.
Non Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.
*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.
If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to [email protected]. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.