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The US admits approximately 50,000 refugees per year, about a third of whom are children. As the refugee family education liaison for the nonprofit Waterford.org, I work with the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Community Services and the Refugee and Immigration Center to find refugee families who need help preparing their young children for school. I have the privilege of being the point person for families who have faced a great deal of uncertainty and trauma.

Three of the biggest challenges these families face in getting their children ready for kindergarten are technology, language and culture. Here’s how we’re helping and how schools and districts might also reach out to these at-risk students and their families.

Getting started with technology

I’ve seen firsthand how challenging simple things can be for folks who haven’t had much exposure to computers and the internet. The families I work with from countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan tend to have more experience with computers and don't struggle as much. For example, they are usually able to help their children understand how to use a mouse. Families from the Congo and South Sudan, however, may never have used a computer in their life and cannot offer those same instructions

Some refugees have been in camps for 20 years or more prior to arriving in the US. In those situations, it’s often more effective and meaningful to provide in-person support instead of teaching them about computers over the phone. Even having the wrong password or username can require detailed, step-by-step support to resolve.