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Support for refugees – Promoting wellbeing for refugee students
Refugee children, including asylum seekers, with past experiences of violence and persecution may need support to address the psychological impact of these experiences. This support assists them to settle into a new school and fully participate in school life and education.
Print publications and documents
School's in for refugees (www.survivorsvic.org.au/publications.php) – the early identification of emotional difficulties and appropriate referral can help prevent more serious mental health issues at a later stage. For information about when and how to refer, go to Chapter 9 of this Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture publication.
The emotional needs of some students may be a block to effective learning, and students may demonstrate difficulties in concentrating. See also the section on strategies to overcome blocks to learning in School's in for Refugees p. 34 .
A Guide to working with young people who are refugees (www.survivorsvic.org.au/publications.php) – is another Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture publication that provides background information and strategies for counselling and group-work with refugee students.
Student support services – offers a series of documents that outline a comprehensive approach to supporting all students. The framework details primary prevention and early intervention approaches to maximise student wellbeing in schools. In addition, Student support services officers provide specialist advice and support to schools, and include guidance officers, psychologists and social workers.
The Centre of Culture, Ethnicity and Health (www.ceh.org.au/docs/Resources/Cultural%20Comp/cult_inc_health_assess.pdf) – provides a working tool for culturally inclusive health assessment to help understand students' backgrounds and wellbeing support needs.
Program development
The Rainbow (primary school) and Kaleidoscope (secondary school) programs are small group programs designed to provide support in the early years of settlement. Klassroom Kaleidoscope is suitable for the whole classroom and has been incorporated successfully as a pastoral care program for year 7 students. All resources are free to download from the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (www.survivorsvic.org.au/publications.php).
Information about the Kaleidoscope program can be found in the publication A Guide to working with young people who are refugees (www.survivorsvic.org.au/publications.php#WorkingYoung).
Ensure that refugee students also have access to education programs to meet their diverse educational needs, including:
School-based interventions may include pastoral support programs, counselling, group programs, mentoring and art and play therapy. Buddy programs can assist students to ease into school-life through providing support, a social connection and practical information about school. Refer to the FKA Children's Services publication Learning through play for ideas about play-based learning. Available from the LMERC library.
Other health and wellbeing strategies
Talk to the Welfare coordinator or Student support services officer for your school about welfare concerns for individual students. They can arrange referrals to an educational psychologist, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), or specialist refugee mental health counsellors such as those at The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc. (www.survivorsvic.org.au).
Develop a contact list of relevant, local support organisations for referral in your area, including the community health centre and Migrant Resource Centre.