Figure 1. The journey from home country to Canada
Making Visible the Invisible: Cross-Cultural Practices in Measurement and Assessment Yvonne Chiu
Co-Director Multicultural Health Brokers Co-op
Winnie Chow
Project Manager ECMERC
Figure 2. Deepening our understanding of the immigrant and refugee experience: a cultural approach
Factors to Consider in Child Development • Family History and Context of Migration • Living Environment • Fine Muscle Development • Social and Language Development
Life in home country •distinct gender roles •strong social support system •comfortabl e life
Life during crisis •escape from war •survival of family •disruption of education •arduous immigration process •urban refugee situation
settlement & survival transition to integration Life in •unfamiliarity Canada with new Life in environment the •different climate & refugee culture camp •emotional stress •no basic (loneliness & amenities isolation) •food •parenting is and difficult supplies •discrimination rationed •inadequate housing, •no employment, and school services for •different school children system •spousal relationship changes (gender roles, intimacy)
Figure 3. Cultural pathways to early childhood development from the immigrant and refugee experience
Nipissing Developmental Screen Examples: Q10. Crawl up the stairs/steps? Activities for your Baby… Fine Muscle Large Muscle Learning/ Thinking
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MCHB Foundation for Practice
Cultural Validity of ASQ Study
• Relationship based • Collaborative • Capacity Building
There is limited literature and research on preschool development screening from the perspective of immigrant and refugee families that addresses the invisible barrier to culturally responsive practice. Are the screening tools/processes we use with immigrant and refugee families culturally appropriate?
Research Methodology
Capacity Building
• Community Based Research • Strength-based Collaboration • Capacity Building Embedded in the
• Research Assistant Training
Research Methods
To Make Visible the Invisible
• Interviews with MCHB brokers and families
Knowledge Mobilization: • Community Forum (November 2008) • Academic and Community Presentations • Partner Sharing within PDS project
Research Methodology and Methods
involved in the PDS (Chinese, South Asian and Sudanese). • ASQ Tool Review with MCHB (18M, 36M and SE). • Statistical Analysis of ASQ database from the PDS project.
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For More Information Winnie Chow (780) 492-7453 wwchow@ualberta.ca Yvonne Chui mchb@interbaun.com (780) 423-1973
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