How Europe is facing diversity in education? Comparing national policies on the education of children and youngsters with a migrant background

Europe is witness of one of the most dramatic situations of the last decades with the arrival of thousands of refugees escaping from war and arriving at its borders claiming for help. All the European governments have been asked for measures and policies to face this situation. At the same time, there is an alarming increment of extreme right-wing parties in the democratic parliaments of several European countries. It is a reverse for all the policies advocating for the improvement of immigrants’ rights and for a better social cohesion in intercultural societies. The acceptance of migrant people must be accompanied by policies at all levels such as health, education or work. The European Policy Network SIRIUS, on the education of children and youngsters with a migrant background, has been working analysing policies, searching for good practices and acting as stakeholder at European and national level since 2012. More than 20 European countries are part of it, so all its work aims to improve the educational policies facing the challenges that come out with diverse societies. A literature review has been done with the aims of: presenting the situation of educational policies for children and youngsters with a migrant background in the European countries; as well as, identifying common elements which can guide policies in this area. It has consisted on analysing the outputs produced by the SIRIUS Network from 2012 to 2014 related to national educational policies in the countries members of it. One of the big results is the detection of the need for more inclusive policies. These should promote holistic educational actions, instead of targeted programs, and foster the participation of families and communities. The evolution toward this new policy paradigm in Europe is not a reality in all countries, there are several differences which are pointed out. This research ends up with some final conclusions and proposals, aligned with the European Council and UNESCO declarations, to help governments to re-think their policies on this issue.