People assisting refugees and asylum seekers are working in a highly topical, fast moving and very challenging environment. It can be difficult to navigate the various laws, policies and procedures that apply to asylum seekers and refugees particularly if you are not working on these issues every day.
It can, for example, be hard to keep on top of Home Office policies or to know where to access relevant documents. Changes in asylum law are made regularly and it is important to understand what they mean and how they impact on the asylum process. Different areas of law have relevance to the lives of asylum seekers and refugees, so information on welfare, education, health and employment is all relevant. Sometimes the provisions that affect the person you are working with can appear illogical, hard to understand or plain nonsense.
This is where the Refugee Council Information Service comes in. It is an essential reference tool for anyone working with refugees and asylum seekers because it gives an in-depth analysis of the services to which refugees and asylum seekers are entitled, as well as examples of good practice and useful links. The links are important because you need to be aware of the limits of the help you can provide. If you cannot help, or if other people are in a better position to help, you should be ready to refer refugees and asylum seekers on to a specialist rather than send them away.
As well as having access to up to date information on laws, policies and procedures, it is important for people working with refugees and asylum seekers to understand how the experiences that lead someone to flee to the UK might affect their behaviour or their response to the help you offer.
The effects of persecution
Many refugees have experienced physical persecution. Some have been imprisoned in harsh conditions or have been subjected to forms of torture. Others have lived with the fear of persecution and the stress and anxiety this causes. The effects of persecution are not always immediate. Physical and especially psychological symptoms may appear years after the event. It is difficult to know how these symptoms might manifest themselves and it is often difficult to identify them when they occur.
A judgement has to be made in each individual case about whether a refugee wishes or needs to discuss their experiences. Anyone working with refugees should be wary of being seen either as uncaring or as taking an unhealthy interest in their past experiences. If someone does want to talk to you about their experiences it is very important to listen and let them know you believe them.
The psychology of exileRefugees often feel intense guilt at having reached safety, and particularly about the effects of their actions on families, friends or colleagues who have been left behind. Additional stress may be caused if someone does not know the whereabouts of loved ones, and whether they remain in danger. “People here say they think I am very brave, but I feel like a coward for leaving.”
Omar, from Iraq |
Attitude to the authorities
People who are fleeing the authorities in their own country tend to be fearful and suspicious of the authorities in any other country. Some may view anyone who is in any way an agent of the state as a personal threat. Furthermore, in a new country with unfamiliar structures, they are likely to be confused about who is and who is not a state official. It is very important, therefore, that you make your own role clear, as well as that of other agencies.
Confidentiality
Anyone working with refugees and asylum seekers must be aware of the need for confidentiality. You will need to explain confidentiality to individuals who may be alarmed about why they are being asked certain questions. For asylum seekers, the concern may be that any information they give might be passed to the Home Office and have some influence on their case.
When asking for information, explain why it is necessary and who will have access to the information. On rare occasions, it may be necessary to breach confidentiality. For example, a refugee child may tell you that she is being abused by someone in this country. Staff would have a duty to take the case forward to social services or other appropriate authority. Child protection legislation applies equally to all children, including refugees and asylum seeking children.
Contact with fellow nationals
Community support can be invaluable. It should not be assumed, however, that all refugees or asylum seekers will want to be in touch with fellow nationals. In some cases, people deliberately avoid such contact for fear that it might lead to information being passed on to the authorities in their country of origin, or even to reprisals against family members there. Alternatively, the reasons why a person fears persecution at home may continue to cause difficulties for them within their community in the UK. For example, if an individual was persecuted for not conforming to cultural expectations, they may continue to feel threatened by community members in the UK.
Identifying particular needs
The effect of persecution and fleeing home to seek asylum abroad affects people differently. It is too simplistic to assume that all asylum seekers or refugees with a particular profile are more or less vulnerable than others. However it is important to think about how an individual’s age, gender or education, for instance, might mean they have particular needs or concerns.
Children
Children have often experienced the same disruption, violence and fear as adult refugees and asylum seekers. They may have witnessed the death of family members, or may not know where their relatives are. Life in the UK can also be very stressful for children who are part of asylum seeking or refugee families. They may be living in cramped, temporary housing. There might not be any space for the child to play, and the parents might be finding it hard to provide a balanced diet. Normal family roles may have been disrupted with individuals taking on new responsibilities. For example, because a child learns English at school, she will often take on extra responsibilities as the family interpreter. Children often adopt ‘Western’ behaviour or dress because of their exposure at school and this sometimes causes tensions with other family members.
Child protection legislation applies equally to all children in the UK. In this regard a refugee child has the same rights as any other. Different cultures have different methods of raising children, but this should not be an issue unless the practices are causing problems for the child. Refugee parents will naturally seek to bring up their children in their own way. It is important not to undermine parental authority, or to announce that certain practices are ‘unacceptable’ without further discussion.
Equally, it is not helpful to dismiss behaviour as an unchangeable element of the family’s culture. If it is a cause for concern, talk to parents about the effects of their behaviour. These issues will not be unfamiliar to social services departments and other agencies. Teaching methods and attitudes towards learning are also very different depending on background. See Education to 16 for more information on refugee and asylum seeking children in schools.
GOOD PRACTICE: Refugee and asylum seeking childrenTreat the child as a child first regardless of their immigration status. The word ‘child’ applies to everyone under 18 years of age, both in terms of the Children Act 1989 and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Do not assume that 16 or 17 year olds are mature enough to be treated as adults. Even if a 16 year old appears grown up compared to British children of the same age, they may have no one to turn to in the UK for support. Refugee agencies are extremely concerned that some 16 and 17 year olds are treated as adults by the authorities responsible for them. Consult with refugee communities to find out what child raising practices the child is accustomed to in their home country. If the child wishes it, try and facilitate links between the child and members of their own community so that they do not become isolated from their culture. Use language that is appropriate to the age of the child. It sounds obvious but official letters, such as those from solicitors, are not always adapted with the child in mind. |
Women
Women can experience particular problems in being recognised as refugees in the UK. A woman who provided food or shelter to government opponents may have been subjected to the same treatment as a man involved in political protests. However the UK asylum system may not recognise why the authorities in her home country see her activities as political, or why she might have been illtreated.
Women also face forms of persecution that are shaped by their gender and against which they have not been protected in their country of origin, such as rape, genital mutilation, domestic violence or forced reproductive practices. Some women can also be particularly vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, and/or forced prostitution once in the UK. A woman may be reluctant to discuss what has happened to her because of the stigma associated with her experiences should her family or community find out. Be aware that female asylum seekers and refugees may feel more comfortable talking about past trauma with female support workers.
Being in the UK presents another set of challenges to asylum seeking and refugee women. A woman on her own might find herself taking responsibility for certain types of decisions for the first time. Even within a family, some women find that in the UK their traditional family role changes significantly. Responsibilities for childcare or domestic duties might present barriers to women seeking opportunities to attend education and training courses.
See Women refugees under Asylum Process.
Men
The experience of changed social status and powerlessness can hit men particularly hard. This is especially the case for men from certain cultures where the male role as a provider is stronger than it might be in the West. Some men may experience a sense of weakness and shame at not being able to protect and provide for their family any more. Others may also find it difficult to have to let someone else in the family take over roles that have traditionally been those of the man. This can lead to depression and anxiety. The boredom and frustration experienced whilst being unemployed or barred from working can make this worse. It is important to remember that men, like women, can be victims of sexual assault or rape. Such experiences can be very difficult for men to talk about.
Older people
Problems of isolation can be particularly acute for older refugees. People who commanded respect in their own culture may find that their status here has changed drastically. It is often harder for older people to learn English and to adapt to life in a new society with different structures. Roles within the family may have changed. As older people see their children speaking English and building new lives, they may experience a heightened sense of loss. The assumption that older refugees will be cared for within family networks means they are often ignored or overlooked in the provision of
services.
Some older refugees may also have to come to terms with the fact that they may never go back to their home country. This is not the case for younger people. No matter how severe the situation at home, a younger refugee can always hope that in ten or twenty years’ time, it will be safe enough for them to return eventually.
People with disabilities
Refugees and asylum seekers with disabilities experience the same difficulties as other people with disabilities in this country. However, this is compounded by the fact that asylum seekers cannot claim disability benefits until they are allowed to stay in the UK. Research carried out in 2002 by the University of York in collaboration with the Refugee Council found that disabled asylum seekers and refugees did not know about their entitlements or how to get a community care assessment.
Therefore, they suffered from unmet personal care needs, unsuitable housing and a lack of living aids and equipment. Many felt isolated and had difficulties in communicating. The research also highlighted that disability was not adequately taken into consideration in decisions about dispersal.
