Citation

Rousseau C, Measham T, Nadeau L. Clin. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 2013; 18(1): 121-136.

Affiliation

McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1359104512444117

PMID

22626671

Abstract

Primary care institutions, including clinics, schools and community organizations, because of their closeness to the family living environment, are often in a privileged position to detect problems in traumatized refugee children and to provide help. In a collaborative care model, the child psychiatrist consultant can assist the primary care consultee and family in holding the trauma narrative and organizing a safe network around the child and family. The consultant can support the establishment of a therapeutic alliance, provide a cultural understanding of presenting problems and negotiate with the consultee and the family a treatment plan. In many settings, trauma focused psychotherapy may not be widely available, but committed community workers and primary care professionals may provide excellent psychosocial support and a forum for empathic listening that may provide relief to the family and the child.

Language: en