Working with refugees: What do we need to know?

It was fantastic to see so many members and supporters face to face for our event on working with refugees on 30 September at the London office. Anne Douglas did an incredible job of organising and curating a brilliant day. Huge thanks to all the committee members who worked together to make the day a success. We felt energised, stimulated and challenged by the outstanding presentations and the opportunity to talk with colleagues.

Working with refugees and asylum seeking people requires the usual expertise of an applied psychologist, but also an understanding of a wide range of additional factors. These include working with an interpreter, developing a culturally relevant practice, the legal context, an appreciation of the potential impact of multiple traumatic experiences on refugees, coupled with an awareness and recognition of resilience.

This conference brought together a group of internationally recognised psychologists who have worked for many years with asylum seeking and refugee children, unaccompanied minors, families and other adults.

Our speakers were:

Professor Rachel Tribe, University of East London

Dr Siobhan Currie and Dr Stevan Radoja, educational psychologists

David Trickey, consultant clinical psychologist, Anna Freud Centre, London

Dr Hannah Murray, research clinical psychologist, Oxford

Dr Katy Robjant – Director of Clinical and Counter-trafficking, Helen Bamber Foundation with Kolbasia Haoussou, Freedom from Torture

Professor Amina Memon, Royal Holloway, University of London

As a follow up, we are working with Professor Rachel Tribe on the idea of facilitating a full-day workshop on working with interpreters.

If you attended the day and have any further feedback or suggestions for further events do let us know. If you are aware of any additional resources/links email them to [email protected]

Read our special edition section newsletter from March 2022 on how to support those in conflict situations and refugees who have experienced trauma here (resources section).

Article from the December 2022 newsletter of the CDT Section.