Supporting Children's Development in Refugee Camps

This chapter will explore the impact of life in warzones, life in transit and life in camps on children's development. It will consider the potential of play-based approaches in supporting children holistically, providing respite and enabling positive learning experiences.
It draws upon the authors’ experiences of two visits to the Dunkirk Refugee Children’s Centre (DRCC) at La Liniere refugee camp, located in the Grande-Synthe area of Dunkirk. We will discuss the approaches that have proved successful in supporting children's learning and development, the challenges faced and the lessons learned. It will consider how these approaches could support successful transition into more formal education. Finally it will examine the implications for staff training and development.