|
Abstract
|
The war in Ukraine is creating a humanitarian crisis in Europe not seen since World War II. As of the beginning of April 2022, more than 4.3 million people had fled Ukraine and are now refugees (UNCHR, 2022). By March 24th 2022, according to UNICEF, more than half of all children in Ukraine had been forced to leave their homes (United Nations News, 2022). It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children will be arriving in the UK seeking safety (The Guardian, 2022).
Following arrival to the UK, refugees often experience difficulties associated with isolation, loss, community and culture. These difficulties can be compounded by language and communication barriers and challenges with accessing health and social services. It is also well established that asylum seekers and refugees frequently experience racism and hostility in their new country (Hodes & Vostanis, 2019). A recent literature review found that children seeking asylum in Europe experience a range of mental health difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, self-harm, and behaviour problems (Flood & Coyne, 2019).
These experiences mean that there are often significant barriers to refugees accessing health and mental health services. These barriers include; language, stigma and cultural beliefs about mental health, and health practitioners not having the skills to work effectively across cultures (Hughes, 2014).
The service I work in is a Paediatric Psychology service at University College London Hospital (UCLH). Whilst not a specialist refugee service, we are involved in supporting some refugees who are being treated in the hospital for a medical condition. In light of the war in Ukraine, we are reflecting on how we can build on our existing work and experience to provide effective support to Ukrainian refugees when they are referred to our service in the future. Drawing on trauma informed ideas, as well as some of the unique experiences of refugee communities, this article explores some key concepts that health professionals might hold in mind when offering support and interventions to Ukrainian refugees.
A safe place to stand
Most young refugees will have spent a considerable amount of time feeling unsafe. Many will have fled their homes without most of their possessions, experiencing great uncertainty and impending dread of what might be next. Some may have experienced, witnessed or heard about extreme violence, and their experience of people in authority might be one of understandable distrust. Therefore, one of the most important initial steps is to help children and young people feel safe and start the journey of developing trust. A foundational principle of trauma informed work is to help people feel safe in the present and in their bodies, rather than being thrown back into a perpetual experience of trauma that mostly exists in the past (Van de Kolk, 2014).
Therefore, it is important for safety to be held in mind from the first points of contact with a young person or family...
Language: en |