In recent years, Europe has witnessed a growing awareness of the need to support refugee learners. Yet, one group remains persistently overlooked: refugees with disabilities. They face a unique set of challenges which intersect across disability, migration, language and socio-economic status. A recent report prepared by members of the Hub for Education for Refugees in Europe (HERE) and Refugee Education UK sheds light on this critical issue, calling for a more inclusive, intersectional approach to education policy and practice.

 

An overlooked intersection

Refugees with disabilities are not a homogeneous group. Their experiences are shaped by a multitude of factors, including the type and severity of their disability, their migration journey, language proficiency, legal status and cultural background. Gender, too, plays a significant role (Bešić et al., 2018a). Despite this complexity, educational systems across Europe often treat refugees and disabled learners as separate groups, failing to address the compounded challenges faced by those who belong to both (Pisani & Grech, 2015; Samsari et al., 2024). This oversight has serious consequences. Refugee learners with disabilities are more likely to be excluded from education, misdiagnosed or placed in inappropriate learning environments (Dovigo, 2019; Subasi Singh et al., 2021). The lack of tailored support not only hinders their academic progress but also exacerbates their social isolation and discrimination (Giavrimis, 2023; Istif Inci et al., 2024).

 

A glaring research gap

A systematic review of the HERE Knowledge Base, which houses over 1,000 resources on refugee education in Europe published since 2015, revealed a startling gap in research on learners with disabilities. In fact, only 17 studies specifically address their educational experiences. Most of these focus on the perspectives of teachers or parents, with very few including the voices of the learners themselves (Migliarini, 2017; Kaya & Yıldız, 2023). This lack of data makes it difficult to develop effective policies and practices. Without a clear understanding of the needs and experiences of this group, educational systems risk perpetuating exclusion rather than fostering inclusion (Bešić et al., 2018b).

 

Barriers to inclusion

The HERE report identifies several key barriers to the educational inclusion of refugees with disabilities:

  • Assessment and diagnosis: Many refugee learners arrive without formal documentation of their disabilities. Assessment procedures are often unclear, culturally biased, or not adapted for multilingual learners.
  • Access to services: Inclusive educational spaces are limited, and support services such as interpreters, therapists and special educators are often unavailable or under-resourced.
  • Language and communication: Language barriers hinder not only learning but also communication between families and schools.
  • Social attitudes: Refugee learners with disabilities often face stigma and discrimination from peers, teachers and the wider community.
  • Family engagement: Families may have different understandings of disability and education, shaped by cultural beliefs and past experiences.

 

Towards inclusive solutions

The report goes on to outline several recommendations for creating more inclusive educational environments:

  1. Adopt an intersectional approach: Policies and practices must recognise the multiple, overlapping identities of refugee learners with disabilities.
  2. Improve assessment procedures: Assessments should be culturally and linguistically sensitive, focusing on learners’ strengths as well as their needs.
  3. Invest in teacher training: Educators need robust training in inclusive practices, transcultural competence and disability awareness.
  4. Support families: Schools should provide translation services, accessible information and opportunities for parents to engage meaningfully in their children’s education.
  5. Foster collaboration: Effective inclusion requires coordination between education, health and social services.
  6. Design inclusive curricula: Educational materials should reflect the diversity of the student population.

 

The role of research

The report also calls for more inclusive and participatory research. Refugees with disabilities should be involved not just as ‘subjects’ of studies, but as co-researchers (Hayes, 2021; Hunt, 2024; Shaw & Wickenden, 2024; Treco & Jordan, 2024). Longitudinal studies are also needed to track educational trajectories and identify what works (Migliarini, 2017). Future research should explore how cultural and linguistic barriers affect diagnosis, how social attitudes influence inclusion, and how families can be better supported (Bešić et al., 2018a; Klopota & Klopota, 2024).

 

A call to action

The educational inclusion of refugees with disabilities is not just a policy issue—it is a matter of human rights. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities affirms the right to inclusive education for all, regardless of legal status or nationality (Bacakova, 2023; Steigmann, 2020). To change this, we must move beyond a ‘one size fits all’ approach and embrace the complexity of learners’ identities. We must listen to the voices of those most affected and ensure that our educational systems are equipped to support every learner, regardless of their background.

 

Read the report

Read the policy brief

 

 

About the HERE Knowledge Base

The HERE Knowledge Base includes hundreds of academic and non-academic resources on refugee education from across Europe. The knowledge base is fully searchable, and links are provided to source materials.

 

Note on contributor

Lucy Hunt is an Affiliated Research Fellow of the Hub for Education for Refugees in Europe (HERE) at the University of Nottingham and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Luxembourg, working on inclusive education (ORCID: 0000-0002-9704-3503). Lucy contributes to curating and analysing resources in the HERE Knowledge Base.

 

Suggested citation

Hunt, Lucy. (2025, June 2). Promoting the educational inclusion of refugees with disabilities in Europe: a HERE report. https://hubhere.org/the-educational-inclusion-of-refugees-with-disabilities-in-europe-a-here-report 

 

References
Resources from HERE Knowledge Base
  • Bacakova, M. (2023). ‘Inclusive educational transitions for refugees with disabilities: Intersectionality and the right to inclusive Education’. In S. S. Singh, O. Jovanović, & M. Proyer (Eds.), Perspectives on Transitions in Refugee Education: Ruptures, Passages, and Re-Orientations (1st ed., pp. 33–46). Leverkusen: Verlag Barbara Budrich. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv32bm1gz.6
  • Bešić, E., Paleczek, L., Rossmann, P., Krammer, M., & Gasteiger-Klicpera, B. (2018a). Attitudes towards inclusion of refugee girls with and without disabilities in Austrian primary schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(5), 463–478. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1467976
  • Bešić, E., Paleczek, L., & Gasteiger-Klicpera, B. (2018b). Don’t forget about us: attitudes towards the inclusion of refugee children with(out) disabilities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(2), 202–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1455113
  • Dovigo, F. (2019). Beyond the vulnerability paradigm: Fostering inter-professional and multi-agency cooperation in refugee education in Italy. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25(2), 166–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1707301
  • Giavrimis, P. (2023). Inclusion of disabled immigrants/refugees in the Greek educational system: Views of primary school teachers. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 9(3), 202-212. https://doi.org/10.24289/ijsser.1330844
  • Istif Inci, E., Altıntop, A. K., Özgür Baklacıoğlu, N., & Aydın, A. R. (2024). Syrian youth with disabilities accessing higher education in Turkey: Routes and barriers. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2024.2406467
  • Kaya, A., & Yıldız, G. (2023). Twice a minority: Education and life experiences of war victim refugee youth with developmental disabilities and those of their parents in Türkiye. Participatory Educational Research, 10(1), 330-343. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.23.18.10.1
  • Klopota, O., & Klopota, Y. (2024). Inclusion of Ukrainian children with special educational needs (from among displaced people) in the Czech Republic. The New Educational Review, 247-256. https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2024.75.1.19
  • Migliarini, V. (2017). ‘Intersectionality and the education of dis/abled asylum-seeking and refugee children in Rome: Criticism and discrepancies of “integration-style inclusion” models’ [PhD thesis]. Università degli studi Roma Tre. https://arcadia.sba.uniroma3.it/handle/2307/40674
  • Samsari, E., Nikolaou, G., & Palaiologou, N. (2024). Multicultural education and students with special needs: A case study from Greece. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2024.2336250
  • Steigmann, F. (2020). Inclusive education for refugee children with disabilities in Berlin—The decisive role of parental Support. Frontiers in Education, 5, article 529615. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.529615
  • Subasi Singh, S., Pellech, C., Gutschik, A., Proyer, M., & O’Rourke, I. (2021). Intersectional aspects of education at the nexus of disability and forced migration: Perspectives of parents, educational experts, and school authorities in Greater Vienna. Education Sciences, 11(8), article 423. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080423
Additional resources
  • Hayes, J. (2021). ‘Including children with disabilities in Colombian Escuela Nueva schools’ [PhD thesis]. University of Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.82462
  • Hunt, L. (2024). Drawing (across) borders: Reflections on the use of creative visual communication in ethnographic research with/for young refugees. TRAJECTORIA: Anthropology, Museums and Art, 5. https://doi.org/10.51002/trajectoria_024_03
  • Pisani, M., & Grech, S. (2015). Disability and forced migration: Critical intersectionalities. Disability and the Global South, 2(1), 421–441.
  • Shaw, J., & Wickenden, M. (2024). ‘I am pleased to share my thoughts and opinions’- Including marginalised people with disabilities in inclusive qualitative research in Bangladesh through creative, relational methodologies. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 23. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241257948
  • Treco, K., & Jordan, L. S. (2024). Decentering and rezoning: Podcasts as a DisCrit method for doing disability research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 23. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241263682