<p class=”MsoNormal”>Our school has been very fortunate to welcome refugee and migrant families to our community in recent times. We work closely with Crosscare who support our families who are in direct provision. We are based in an urban area that would be profiled as economically disadvantaged. It has been wonderful to see the amazing community spirit that has led to extension of support and inclusion to our new families. The biggest challenge that faces our families on direct provision are the environmental elements of their location. Many families have been located in large hotels on motorways a significant distance from the school with no green spaces or public transport links. Access to work and training has also been challenging but the barriers accessing these have been greatly reduced due to economic and market demand factors. Our families also describe the day to day challenges of not having cooking facilities. Their meals are provided to them which means that they have no say of their children’s diets on an ongoing basis.</p>