Early Childhood with Families from Refugee Backgrounds: Clinical and Community Interventions

This workshop is informed by STARTTS’ research and is focused on the unique challenges of working clinically with children from refugee backgrounds under six years of age and their parents/caregivers who have experienced war and violence. It will explore how direct and indirect traumatic experiences impact on the mother and child pre- and post-natally. Consideration will be given to influences such as the developing nervous system, memory and attachment, potential delays in all areas of development as a result of the complex interactions of refugee-related trauma, ways to overcome barriers to engaging young children from refugee backgrounds and their parents in therapy; the importance of balancing structure with child-centred / relationship based following of the child, regulating emotions, using play, music and movement. Attention will also be given to how to act as a role model, mentor and supporter for parents. The workshop will discuss incorporating the family’s cultural beliefs in therapy and how to integrate an interpreter into sessions.

Content includes:

• The refugee experience
• Considerations and challenges of refugee trauma work
• Clinical implications of torture and refugee trauma manifestations
• Effective cross-cultural engagement
• Comprehensive refugee clinical assessment
• Formulating a case and treatment plan for refugee trauma
• Psychoeducation
• Trauma treatment strategies
• Ending treatment and measuring clinical outcomes
• Self care in the face of highly traumatised clients