School leaders’ experiences and perceptions of the movement of Ukrainian child refugees into Irish schools

In March 2022, Ireland’s minister for education announced that Irish schools were taking in student refugees from the Ukraine. This study explores Irish school leaders’ experiences of this transition through qualitative research incorporating semi-structured interviews with six school leaders. Findings reveal a phased process focussing initially on introducing students to the school community followed by the introduction of students into the school system. Care beyond the curriculum and barriers to inclusive education emerged as participants explored their experiences dealing with student trauma, language barriers, and misaligning curricula in times of uncertainty. Considerations for policy, practice and future research are discussed.