Experiences among migrant parents with a disabled child when interacting with professionals: recognition as an inclusionary and exclusionary mechanism in Finnish public health and social services

Abstract

This article examines migrant parents’ experiences with public health and social services in Finland, relying on data from interviews with 20 parents. We apply the theory of recognition as the theoretical framework for this research. Our focus is on the recognition of and services for disabled persons for two reasons. Firstly, research on disability in the migration context remains lacking. Secondly, whilst many theoretical discussions about recognition exist, empirical studies relying on theory have received less attention. Here, we aim to explore the practical forms of recognition to parents’ everyday lives. We rely on theory-guided content analysis as an analytical tool. Based on the results of this research, parents face multiple challenges when encountering public service professionals. This drained parents’ resources and hampered their integration into Finnish society. Regardless of problems related to services, parents employed different strategies to gain recognition based on their own resources. Points of interest This research examines in detail how the migrant parents of a disabled child related with Finnish public health and social service professionals. Most parents in this study experienced problems obtaining services, caused by the lack of a shared language and an unfamiliarity with the service system. All parents wanted professionals to recognise their concerns regarding their child’s disability, to take into account the parents’ views about their child’s treatment and treat parents with respect. When parents felt unrecognised, they refused to accept it in many ways. For example, they could resist professionals’ plan during meetings or consulted repeatedly emergency room service. This research demonstrates how a delayed or an inappropriate health and social service influenced parents’ every-day lives. Consequently, it created long-lasting stress and hampered their integration process into the new country.