Abstract:
This research explores female refugees’ experiences of family reunification and integration in Ireland. The research was proposed by Nasc Irish Immigrant Support Centre in an effort to explore to understand the experiences of refugees in greater depth and to identify appropriate support for family members at this time. A literature review was conducted and research was carried out using an interpretivist perspective, qualitative methodology. This information was then analysed and a number of significant findings emerged. The accounts of women in this study suggest that the processes of migration, reunification and integration had impacted them significantly in terms of disruption and change in their lives and in their relationships with family members. While all reflected being happy to reunite with their family members in the beginning and identified many beneficial effects of reunification, over time relationship difficulties arose for most of the participants and while some overcame these challenges, relationship breakdown occurred in other cases. These experiences appeared to be impacted by structural and social challenges and by supports which acted as protective or inhibiting factors for family reunion and integration. The findings together with the literature review informed a number of recommendations made in relation to supporting and alleviating challenges that may arise for refugee families following reunification.
