Explores parenting and social issues for Somali Bantu refugees. Most Bantu enter the United States with little or no formal education, with minimal or no exposure to Western culture, lifestyles, or literacy, and, most important, without an extended network of culture and kinship. In the absence of the traditional network of childrearing, Bantu children may go unsupervised at inappropriate times or places. Parents also may forgo disciplining their children because they have learned that their customary use of corporal punishment is unacceptable in the U.S. Among other challenges, Bantu students and their parents face attitudes toward education and authority that differ from their own. To be effective, service providers working with Somali Bantu refugee children, youth, and families need to ensure that: (1) cultural orientation sessions in refugee camps include more information on what to expect in U.S. school environments; (2) ongoing orientation of resettled Bantus involves using volunteers from the longer-term Somali community as mentors; (3) after-school classes and parenting programs are intensive and repetitive, with concrete, visual examples; and (4) resettlement agencies and others working with the Bantu recognize the importance of continued involvement with families and of coordinating all available resources, including local Somali community members.
