CHILDHOOD TRAUMA,

MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Toolkit for
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITIES

1.0 | NOV | 2023

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA,
MIGRATION & ASYLUM
Toolkit for
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITIES

Section 1 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Trauma in children and young people
seeking asylum

Section 2 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Recognising reactions to trauma in children
& young people seeking asylum

Section 3 ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Responding to trauma in children
& young people seeking asylum

Section 4 ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 28
When to seek specialist help
.
Section 5 ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 36
What about you?

Section 6 ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
Other information and resources

Self-care plan supplement .................................................................................................... 44

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. 46
References ........................................................................................................................................................................ 48
 Welcome • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Croeso
‫ברוך הבא‬

Ласкаво просимо ‫خوش آمدی‬

እንኳዕ ደሓን መፁ
‫ښه راغالست‬
‫مر حبا‬

Welcome

Let's get you started

Hello, thanks for taking a look at this ‘toolkit’. It has Who is this toolkit for?
been designed to help you with the job you are This particular toolkit is designed for educational
already doing, not give you more things to do, or more communities – by this we mean early years settings,
responsibilities. Our hope is, that this toolkit will help schools, alternative provision setting and FE colleges.
you see just how valuable and effective your everyday And it is designed to be useful for all staff, including
ordinary interactions can be; and that you’ll realise that keyworkers, teaching staff, support staff, tutors,
you are already doing many really helpful things . We receptionists, lunchtime supervisors, senior leaders,
hope that there may be some new things, or ways of sports coaches, librarians - anyone who interacts with
doing things, that you could easily incorporate into your children and young people. This toolkit is about trauma;
work. In putting this toolkit together, we have been if you are looking for advice on other aspects of the
guided by our best understanding of trauma and what experiences of children and young people seeking asy-
helps children and young people cope best, based on lum, other organisations produce excellent resources.
research evidence.
Why does trauma matter?
The repeated states of conflict and crisis that occur
the world over, mean that millions of people are forced
from their homes, in search of safety. While the war in
Ukraine is one example, there are many other factors
which make the world unsafe for young people and
their families in their places of origin. The process of
relocating following war, violence or persecution is
complicated by the impact that these events have on
the emotional worlds of young people. Sometimes
these events are traumatic, and the effects of this
trauma can be short, or long-lasting. If we seek to
promote the success of children and young people
within their educational landscapes, we must be
sensitive to the ways in which trauma can shape the
way they see themselves and participate in the world
around them. This toolkit aims to give some guidance
on how to spot signs, and shift everyday engagements
into ones that are protective and enabling for children
and young people who may be struggling.

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 Welcome • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

How are we using language? Country of origin and receiving country: We have
Language is complicated! It can mean different things, chosen to use “country of origin” rather than “home
to different people, at different times. It has the country” because for some young people it didn’t feel
capacity to exclude, discriminate, undermine, offend, like a ‘home’ because of what happened to them. And
and harm. We have thought hard about the language we have chosen to use “receiving country” rather than
that we use in the this set of resources, and we have “host country” because some young people feel that
consulted widely. But, we continue to learn how to use “host” makes it sound as if they are just temporary
language inclusively and are always receptive to any guests.
feedback or comments.
Although the words “refugee” and “asylum Children and young people: We use “children and
seeker” are commonly used, our understanding is young people” throughout because we want to
that the people to whom these words apply, prefer recognise the fact that they are not adults, particularly
words that refer to their situation and experience as as some will be having their age disputed.
human-beings rather than their legal status, as this
can feel dehumanising. That said, there are important Final Thoughts
differences between seeking asylum and having been In building this toolkit, we have tried hard to work in
granted refugee status. Those who have been granted partnership and collaborate closely with many young
refugee status will most likely experience more stability people with lived experience, and with various agencies
and will have more access to resources than those who that support them. You can find out who we worked
are seeking asylum and have not yet had their claim for with in the acknowledgements.
asylum decided. The anonymous quotes and case studies
included in the toolkit are from actual young people,
Refugee status: This is granted when the UK parents/caregivers and those working with those
government has decided that an individual who has seeking asylum and /or based on real examples shared
claimed asylum meets the definition of a refugee with us.
according to the UN Refugee Convention i.e. someone We hope that this toolkit will help all those involved
who “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted with children and young people seeking asylum, to
for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership work more collaboratively and not feel that they have
of a particular social group, or political opinion, is to do this on their own – the families and caregivers,
outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to the local network of community organisations who
or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the have expertise in understanding the needs of this
protection of that country” (Article 1, 1951 Convention population, and other professionals such as local
Relating to the Status of Refugees) Educational Psychology Service (EPS), counsellors,
general practitioners (GPs) and NHS mental health
Asylum seeking status: The definition of an asylum practitioners.
seeker is someone who has arrived in a country and Although it might not be possible for you to read
asked for asylum. Until they receive a decision as to this all from cover to cover right now, we think it is
whether or not they are a refugee, they are known as probably helpful to look at each section of the toolkit in
an asylum seeker. In the UK, this means they do not turn, to help you best apply the ideas included.
have the same rights or access to basic supports as a
refugee or a British citizen would (Refugee Action).

Separated children and young people: Although Rochelle Burgess

“Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker” and UASC Associate Professor UCL & UK Trauma Council
(the abbreviation of Unaccompanied Asylum
Seeking Children) are in common use, we prefer
“separated children and young people” because it’s
a more accurate description of their situation, Also, David Trickey
sometimes people think the word “unaccompanied” Consultant Clinical Psychologist &
refers to a temporary planned short period apart from Co-director UK Trauma Council
their caregivers, but for many young people this is not
the case.

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 Section 1 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Section 1

Trauma in children & young people

seeking asylum

​​​In this section we provide an overview of some of the ∙ They may have witnessed the killings of others,
experiences of trauma that children and young people including loved ones; have had their homes and
seeking refuge and asylum may experience. Before communities bombed; been tortured; raped; and
we do that, we want to recognise the potential impact been forced to fight (even as young children).
on you of listening to, learning about and working with
those affected by trauma. This impact can be positive, ∙ Some will also have been discriminated against
in terms of inspiring you and reminding you of the val- because of their religion, ethnicity, gender,
ued work you do. At times however, the work can also sexuality or disability.
have a negative impact on your wellbeing. Because
of this, Section 5 is devoted to considering your own ∙ Some girls and young women may have also
wellbeing. You may want to read that before you go any undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), be at
further into the toolkit. risk of FGM and/or been married at a very young
The UK Trauma Council describes trauma as the age (sometimes as young as 10 years old).
way that some distressing events are so extreme or
intense that they overwhelm a person’s ability to cope, ∙ Some will have been separated from their family
resulting in lasting negative impact. For children and and may be additionally vulnerable as they went
young people who have experienced war, conflict and through some of their trauma alone and are now
persecution and been forcibly displaced from their without the direct support of family.
country of origin, it is highly likely that they will have
experienced multiple traumatic events. One study ∙ Those who are separated from their families may
found that young people seeking refuge reported an experience ongoing difficulties connected to the
average of eight traumatic events, with their migration ongoing stress and worry about family members,
journey being the most widely reported traumatic their grief at the loss or separation from them.
experience¹,². And to make things even more compli-
cated, you may not even know everything that they’ve ∙ They may have been living in complex political
been through. and economic environments and experienced
adversity such as persecution, discrimination and
poverty.

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 Section 1 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

∙ Some children and young people may have never ing problems following trauma and research⁴ suggests
known peacetime in their lives before leaving that rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
their country of origin. anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide are all sig-
nificantly higher in this population than in children and
∙ Many will have traumatic journeys to the UK, young people who have not been displaced.
facing additional danger and risk of exploitation The graphs below (based on the work of Bannano⁵)
over months and sometimes years. This might shows how very broadly speaking children and young
include lengthy stays in refugee camps, or being people react in one of the four ways following traumat-
detained by authorities in other countries. ic experiences:

∙ Arrival in the UK does not mean their trauma

will necessarily be ‘over,’ as children and young Enduring
people face ongoing stress, uncertainty and may The distress and difficulties persist over time
receive a hostile response from people in the UK.

Distress & difficulties

∙ Within the UK, some may be vulnerable
to trafficking, modern slavery and sexual
exploitation.

∙ Children and young people may well continue to Time since the events
live with considerable uncertainty - about their
legal status, about relocation within the UK, and
about whether they will be sent back to their Delayed
country of origin or to another country that they Appear not to be distressed or have difficulties at first,
but start to struggle at a later stage
didn't choose. The ongoing legal process to claim
asylum and be granted leave to remain can be
Distress & difficulties

traumatising as children and young people might

be required to tell and retell their experiences of
trauma in interviews with different professionals
without access to therapeutic support.
Time since the events
∙ Some young people may be subject to an age
dispute process, which they may find incredibly
unsettling or even traumatising, because it makes Recovery
a difference to what resources they are eligible to Distress and difficulties at first, but they get less over time
receive such as access to housing, social workers
and financial support. They may also find this
Distress & difficulties

process distressing because the clear implication

is that they are not being believed.

∙ Children and young people may have

experienced physical violence as routine Time since the events
punishment from teachers in their country of
origin. Until it is explained to them, they may fear
that this will happen in UK education settings. Unaffected
Appear not to have any difficulties
∙ Separated children and young people are known
to experience additional psychological distress
Distress & difficulties

and have higher rates of suicidal behaviour³.

It isn’t inevitable that a child or young person will devel-

op mental health difficulties following traumatic events.
Some will appear to be coping relatively well and some Time since the events
will recover over time. However, many may have endur-

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 Section 1 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Help – I’m working in the dark!

Section summary
It is quite likely that you will have little or no informa-
tion about the children and young people that begin ∙ Range of traumatic experiences: Children and
attending your educational communities. What’s young people seeking refuge and asylum are
more is that they may not be in a position to tell you likely to have gone through a number of difficult
very much about their experiences. Doing a little bit of and potentially traumatic experiences.
research about the countries from which your chil-
dren and young people have fled can be really helpful ∙ Trauma timeline: This may include traumatic
to give you some insight into the kind of experiences events in their country of origin, during their
that are common. You will need to be sensitive and migration journey and here in the UK.
not assume that they have experienced exactly these
things. Also be mindful that experiences might be ∙ Avoid assumptions: It isn’t inevitable that they
different depending on the particular ethnic group will have mental health difficulties and post-
or community to which the child or young person traumatic stress reactions but it is helpful to look
belonged as well as traumatic events specific to out for these so they can be well supported.
their gender or sexuality (see the Refugee Council’s
briefings for up to date information about different ∙ Do your own homework: You may well be
countries.) working ‘in the dark’ so finding out a bit about
It can also be helpful to learn about the asylum common experiences from their country of
process so that you understand a little about what origin can help you understand what might have
they have been or are still going through. (The Refu- happened to them.
gee Council has a helpful map of this process).
∙ Meaning making: It’s not always the actual
threat or danger but the meaning they have
​​​Meaning making made of distressing events that is often key to
why they might continue to struggle.
Whilst you will keep your knowledge and understand-
ing of the child or young person’s history of war, con-
flict and persecution in mind (what you know about
it) it is not necessarily the actual threat and danger of
their traumatic experiences that is the most impor-
tant factor in understanding their level of need. What
their experiences mean to them, and what sense they
make of them is the key to really understanding why
they may continue to struggle⁶.

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 Section 2 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Section 2

Recognising reactions to
trauma in children & young people
seeking asylum

Why it’s helpful to be able to Such difficulties may need specialist help to enable
recognise traumatic reactions the child or young person to learn to manage and then
move beyond them. Early intervention and effective
Being able to recognise when a child or young person support can mitigate the impact that these problems
you work with has experienced traumatic events is can have on wider health and social outcomes. Without
important so that you can provide helpful responses effective support, problems can last into adulthood
that support their recovery. You will also be better and positive outcomes can sadly be limited.
placed to consider when they might need additional One of the challenges is that people see things
support outside your educational community. differently. Children and young people who have
It is both natural and understandable to have diffi- experienced war and conflict in particular may not
culties following ‘extraordinary’ experiences. For some recognise that the difficulties they have are a result of
this is a short-term response and although the memo- their traumatic experiences. T ​​ rauma and mental health
ries of what happened will likely always be difficult, they may not be a concept that is familiar in the young
recover well and find ways to have a positive future. person’s culture and so they may not yet make the link
However,​experiencing traumatic events can lead to a between their experiences and the difficulties they are
range of mental health difficulties such as ​​​​​​​​post-trau- having. ​​​​They may prioritise or prefer to use their faith
matic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. and culture over a Western medical model and so draw

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 Section 2 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

on their beliefs to make sense of events and how to people for the reactions described below will, however,
cope with them. be a good place to start. Some may also now be being
Some children and young people will tell you or cared for by an adult who was not previously their
show you about their traumatic experiences through primary attachment figure so this can mean a lot of
their play or work, although this may take them a long adjustment for both.
time to do. Sometimes disclosures happen before
breaks in attending nursery, school or college such as
on a Friday or before the holidays. Others will tell their
peers and classmates who may or may not then tell Different reactions to traumatic
you. Many may not yet have enough English language experiences
to communicate to you what they are thinking, feeling
or finding hard. And even if they were proficient in Internal and external
English, they may not feel able to explain how they are Much of what happens when a child or young person
struggling because to do so might trigger the very is affected by traumatic events occurs internally; in
memories they are working to avoid. Additionally, their thoughts, feelings and beliefs about themselves,
they may have learnt to mask their feelings of fear and others and the world around them. They may wonder
distress as a way of surviving in an unsafe place or out how safe the world is, how trustworthy others are or
of fear of being seen as ungrateful. how vulnerable they are. These internal effects are
Younger children may particularly struggle to understandably difficult for others to see and recog-
explain how they are feeling and are unlikely to have nise, in fact they may be difficult for the child or young
the language to express what has made them upset or person to recognise. What you may see however, is
frightened. Working together with their caregivers you the external presentation of their trauma through their
can begin to build a picture of how they are doing, being reactions, mood and behaviours. Below we describe
mindful of the mental wellbeing of their caregivers too. some ways to spot and interpret these signals.
Some children and young people could have special
educational needs and disabilities which may or may Physical or bodily reactions
Firstly, let’s look at some of the physiological reactions
that can occur following traumatic events. The very
"I feel these children think they have to painful and distressing aspects of trauma can affect
be grateful to live here and come to this
children and young people physically and they may find
school, so they find it hard to talk to me
when they're unhappy about something." these easier to report to you. They may not yet know
— Teacher about the link between their traumatic experiences
and their physical wellbeing, leaving them thinking that
they are ill and need to see a medical doctor. You might
not have been identified prior to them starting at find that they:
your setting. Determining which of their difficulties
are due to their traumatic history and which are the ∙ describe having repeated headaches or
result of a learning support need will take time, care stomach aches
and sensitivity. Identifying learning support needs and ∙ report struggling to sleep or experiencing
then putting the appropriate support in place can be a nightmares
bit more difficult with children and young people who ∙ have problems with their appetite.
may have experienced substantial trauma, and may
not be fluent in English. It may require the involvement
of an Educational Psychologist or similar. However it Khalil (8) found it hard to settle. His
is really important, because accessing the curriculum teacher thought he may have attention
and being able to succeed in education can have such a difficulties. He was actually really good
at paying attention but mostly to things
significant impact on their wellbeing and future de- that might be threatening. And so he
velopment. Of course, some may have a combination kept looking around and constantly
of learning support needs and be struggling with the watching the door to see if anyone was
trying to enter.
impact of their experiences of trauma on top of trying
to learn English. Monitoring these children and young

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 Section 2 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Being on high alert

During lunch at school, a loud tray crash startled Khalil (8),
Experiencing traumatic events can leave them on high causing him to hide under the table. The supervisor sat beside
alert. You might see them: him and reassured: “Khalil, that was a very loud noise? It’s
understandable you got scared. It was just a tray. You're safe
here. Everyone's okay.”
∙ be easily triggered by overwhelming emotions
of distress or anxiety
∙ lose their temper more easily – this can ∙ struggle to cope with things that remind them of
sometimes be misinterpreted by staff their distressing memories
∙ be easily startled ∙ work hard to avoid things although it might not
∙ on the lookout for potential threats always be obvious what exactly they are avoiding
∙ find it difficult to settle and relax – this might be or why.
particularly true in an unfamiliar environment.

Farah (18) often seemed distant in class, and

efforts to help her integrate didn't work. She
Amina (4) enjoyed drawing but frequently later revealed her deep worry about family
covered her artwork in red blobs and back home. They filled her thoughts all day,
scribbles in black. She'd get teary and even in her dreams. If there were no recent
distant. Her key person wondered if it calls, she feared the worst.
was just a colour preference or a way to
express something from her past.

Feeling anxious
Intrusive thoughts and memories Some children and young people might struggle with
If they are struggling with distressing intrusive anxiety so you might see them:
thoughts or flashbacks, you might see them:
∙ stuck in a constant cycle of worry
∙ lose focus from current activity because they are ∙ repeatedly expecting that something bad will
interrupted by sudden, unwanted thoughts or happen
memories of their experiences ∙ struggling to cope with uncertainty and
∙ ‘zone out’ and lose touch with the unpredictability
‘here and now’ ∙ undertaking rituals and habits that make them
∙ repeatedly express their distressing memories feel safe
or themes of it in their play, art, stories, ∙ experiencing a range of physical reactions such
interaction with peers as fast/shallow breathing, heart racing as well as
∙ describe difficulties sleeping or having those listed in the earlier section about being on
nightmares high alert.
∙ be anxious about being separated from family or
trusted adults.
Luwam (16) kept her belongings including her bag and coat
on her lap at all times. This was part of making sure she could
escape at any moment.
Ibrahim (13) would often get defensive and
angry when asked about his life in Sudan by
his friends. The teaching assistant spoke
with Ibrahim about managing his anger and Struggling with low mood
worked with him on self-regulation. She also If children and young people are struggling with low
educated his friends about the conflict in mood you might see them:
Sudan to help them understand.

∙ appear low and lacking enjoyment

∙ sound hopeless with no optimism about the
Avoiding trauma reminders future
If they are avoiding reminders of their trauma, you ∙ disengage from activities and interactions – this
might see them: can be difficult to recognise if they are also strug-
∙ appear anxious to avoid people or places that gling to learn English
remind them of traumatic experiences ∙ lack the motivation to do things you would
∙ not want to think about or talk about what expect them to enjoy or show interest in their
happened to them peers.

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 Section 2 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

you may need to look out for some of the reactions

After initially settling well, listed above. Despite how it may appear, self-harm does
Andrii (11) became withdrawn from his not necessarily indicate suicidal thoughts or behaviour,
classmates and wouldn’t join in with and might be used as a method for coping with distress.
the sports games that he previously
enjoyed. The trick is to remain open-minded and curious and
not jump to conclusions or make assumptions. If you’re
worried, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Although you
Impact need to find a way to do so that is different from normal
When you think about the difficulties a child or young ‘school’ questions where they are expected to work out
person might be experiencing it is important to con- what the ‘right’ answer. They need to know that when
sider not only what is happening to them but how it is you are asking these questions, you don’t actually know
impacting their lives. The impact of the traumatic reac- the answer, but you’re keen to find out.
tions described above might affect them in different Although being part of a faith group can be a
areas of their life including: protective factor for some people, be mindful that
suicide may be heavily stigmatised in some communi-
∙ home life: relationships with family or caregivers ties. Young people may therefore be cautious and feel
∙ education: relationships with adults and peers very ashamed about disclosing suicidal thoughts. You’ll
as well as their ability to concentrate, engage and want to think about when and where you might have
learn these conversations so that they are managed safely
∙ social life: relationships with those they spend and sensitively for both you and the child or young
time with and ability or motivation to participate. person. It is also important that you familiarise yourself
with the safeguarding protocol in your own organisa-
These reactions can also impact development in sev- tion before undertaking these conversations and know
eral ways. For example, they can: how to respond to any disclosure or risk that becomes
evident. When you are in a safe and private space and
∙ affect the ability to do certain things with age- have time to check in with the child or young person
appropriate levels of independence such as their without either of having to rush you could try asking:
language development, ability to dress, feed or
go to the toilet themselves “When things are really tough for you,
∙ negatively affect the way they think about
themselves, others and the world around them how do you manage?”
∙ compromise their ability to keep themselves
safe (see paragraph below on self-harm and “Have you ever hurt or harmed yourself?”
suicide).
“I heard you say that you don’t see the point.
Self-harm and suicidal thinking or behaviour Can you tell me a bit more about what you
Struggling with any of the painful and distressing
aspects of trauma can result in children and young
mean?”
people finding it very hard to manage, and they may be
vulnerable to self-harm and suicidal thinking or behav- “Do you think about dying or want to die?”
iour. Children and young people might:
“Have you thought about ending your
∙ have unexplained marks, cuts, burns, scratches life /suicide?”
or bruises
∙ avoid showing body parts such as arms or legs
“Have you made a plan how to
because they have self-harm injuries (however,
some young people have cultural clothing end your life?”
traditions which mean their skin may not be
exposed and therefore it can be more difficult to If someone discloses risk to themselves or others you
notice this) should of course follow your policy regarding safe-
∙ make comments such as ‘What’s the point?’ or ‘I guarding and contact your designated safeguarding
can’t take it anymore’. lead (or use local safeguarding procedures). Organ-
isations such as Papyrus have helpful resources and
But of course, self-harm and suicidal thinking do not a helpline for young people and anyone concerned
necessarily have visible signs, so if you are concerned about them. Disclosures regarding suicidal thoughts

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 Section 2 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

or feelings can be worrying and anxiety provoking for During assembly, news items were shared including
the listener – do make sure that you also reach out the ongoing conflict in Ibrahim’s country of origin,
and seek support for yourself in these situations (see Sudan. In his next lesson his teacher noticed him
section 5). appearing distant, and unable to focus or do
his work. When the teacher raised his voice in
Triggers response to another child’s behaviour, Ibrahim
When children and young people are in highly danger- immediately dissolved into tears.
ous or traumatic situations, they learn to stay alert to
keep themselves safe. However even when the imme-
diate danger has passed, their bodies may not ‘reset’ Making sense of trauma reactions
and so they continue to stay in ‘survival’ mode⁷ seeing, The varied range reactions outlined above are all
hearing, smelling, touching and tasting more ‘effi- understandable and natural following traumatic and
ciently’ as a way of staying alert to danger. This means distressing events. With good support many of these
they may notice all sorts of potential threats and may responses will diminish over time. But for some, these
be triggered by a whole range of everyday things that difficulties may remain persistent, severe and frequent.
seem quite benign to others such as school alarms, They may be a marked change from the child or young
fireworks or other apparently ordinary sudden noises, person’s previous behaviour (although you are unlikely
smells or experiences. They might not always know to know about this without discussion with those they
what triggered them and you won’t always be able to lived with prior to their trauma) and put the child or
tell what it was either. What you might see is a powerful young person at risk from themselves or others. When
reaction as they respond in fight, flight or freeze mode, these problems are enduring and have a significant
perhaps becoming angry, anxious, distressed or para- impact on the child or young person, they may need
lysed with fear. additional specialist help (find out more about this in
section 4).
If a child or young person has a special educa-
When Amina saw a tall, uniformed male arrive in the tional need or disability it may be even more difficult to
doorway of her nursery this immediately triggered a work out if their difficulties are a reaction to traumatic
fear that she would be hurt. She ran sobbing to her events. You might need to be even more observant
teacher. and spend a bit more time figuring out how they ex-
press their emotions such as distress. Sometimes, you
During a school trip to the park Khalil heard a may never be sure about the cause of their difficulties.
helicopter noise in the distance and this triggered (There are a number of organisations that have devel-
his memories of war. He threw himself to the oped materials on this, for example The Bell Founda-
ground. tion resource on EAL resource on EAL Learners with
SEND.)
When Andrii smelt the smoke from a nearby science At times the responses of children and young
experiment, this triggered a flashback of the people who have experienced trauma may be difficult
bombing in his town. He became very agitated and for educational communities to tolerate, as they may
refused to do his work. not be in keeping with a behaviour policy. This might be
small things such as a young person needing to keep
Following a legal appointment, Luwam returned their coat on their lap, or it may be something more dif-
to class but struggled to re-engage as she was ficult such as angry or even violent outbursts. Some-
so distressed at having to retell her traumatic times the standard response from educational com-
experiences. She then became very frustrated and munities can actually make things worse. We’re not
shouted at her peers. suggesting that you do not respond to such actions.
But we are suggesting that it can be more useful to
When the fire alarm went off while Farah was at stop and think about how their history of trauma might
lunch she froze. Even though her friends tried to tell be contributing to their actions, what those behaviours
her it was just a practice and lead her outside, she may mean, and then work out what response from you
zoned out and didn’t seem to hear anything they and colleagues will be most likely to help them get back
said. They tried to pulling her towards the fire exit on track. Thinking about the five principles outlined in
but she hid herself in the corner. Section 3 below can be a useful framework to help with
that thinking.

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 Section 2 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

  Section summary

∙ Recognising trauma reactions: Being able ∙ Range of difficulties: Traumatic experiences

to spot typical trauma reactions can help can result in anxious feelings, being low or easily
you identify when a child or young person is overwhelmed by strong emotions of anger or
struggling. distress. Some with more extreme responses
might be at risk of self-harm or suicidal thinking
∙ Internal and external: Trauma affects children or behaviour.
and young people internally, but they may not be
able or wish to tell you about any difficulties so ∙ Triggers: Everyday things they hear, see,
you will want to look for what they are showing smells, touch or taste may trigger distressing
externally. memories.

∙ Typical trauma reactions: Common trauma ∙ Considered staff responses: It is important

reactions might include difficulties with intrusive to help staff consider a child or young person’s
thoughts and memories, avoiding reminders potential trauma history and the meaning
and being on a high state of alert. behind their behaviour and reactions to their
environment so they can be responded to and
supported in sensitive and helpful ways.

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 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Section 3

Responding to trauma in
children & young people
seeking asylum

Educational communities offer so much more than ed- You might feel helpless when faced with a child or
ucation for children and young people seeking asylum. young person who has experienced terrifying and
Nurseries, schools, further education college settings distressing events. You might fear saying the ‘wrong
also provide a place of socialisation, integration and thing’ and somehow making it worse. You may wonder
rehabilitation⁸. Whilst there will no doubt be pressure to if they need specialist support and feel that you are not
measure and be measured by attainment and progress, specialist enough to do anything helpful. However, you
this is unlikely to be a useful place to start with children can create an environment that promotes recovery
and young people affected by traumatic events. from trauma by using five evidence informed principles⁹
Struggling with the impact of traumatic experi- helping children and young people to feel:
ences can impact a young person’s capacity to learn.
By prioritising wellbeing ahead of learning, children ∙ safe
and young people will eventually be better placed to ∙ calm
engage in their education. For an education profes- ∙ connected
sional, this will mean responding to children and young ∙ in control
people and the potential impact of trauma on them ∙ hopeful
before expecting too much of them academically.

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 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Checking in with them:

"Sometimes I see their big smiles, but their “How are you doing today?”
eyes look so sad - you can only imagine
what they've seen."
Following up about something they’ve recently
— Teacher
done or “How did your cinema trip go?”

If you know about something challenging

Helping children and young people to happening in their lives you could try:
feel safe “I wonder how you’ve been since …?”

Even though every educational setting in the UK Noticing when they return after being absent:
should be a physically safe place for a child or young “It’s good to have you back in nursery / class.”
person to be in, you need them to actually feel safe.
Traumatic experiences might shatter the assumptions All of this will equally apply to the adult members of
that most children and young people have about the the family too as they will benefit from any relationship
world being safe enough. Feeling unsafe at school is building opportunities that build a sense of safety and
associated with higher symptoms of post-traumatic belonging for them. This might be easier to achieve for
stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms¹⁰. What each child children in early years or primary school settings, but
and young person who is seeking refuge or asylum there are sometimes fewer opportunities to do this in
needs might be quite individual, but here are some secondary or FE communities so you will need to think
ideas for you to help establish a sense of safety using creatively.
relationships, language, curriculum, routine, the physi- Whilst being able to communicate verbally in
cal environment and your admissions process. English certainly makes things more straightforward,
some children and young people will only be in the early
Relationships stages of learning English. You can still communicate
A key part of feeling safe (for all of us) is the ability to that you have ‘seen’ someone through your non-verbal
trust others. This is closely related to the principle manner such as the way you acknowledge them with a
described later of helping children and young people smile, nod or high-five.
feel connected. Some children and young people who Safe trusted relationships can flourish if they are
experienced trauma at the hands of adults, particularly developed within a safe and supportive environment.
those in positions of authority, might not readily feel However, not everyone has a positive view about those
able to trust new adults. Their current experiences of seeking asylum. It may be necessary to make active
the legal asylum process might add to their uncertainty use of your anti-bullying and anti-racism policies and
about professionals. Although it may take a while to practices to address discriminatory attitudes including
foster a feeling of safety in new relationships, you can hostility towards those seeking asylum. Children and
start with helping them feel seen, known and valued. young people will feel safer if they know that they are
taken seriously and incidents are dealt with appropri-
This might include: ately. For more support you could look at Schools of
Sanctuary or Anna Freud anti-racism resources.
Knowing their chosen name and how to
pronounce it.

Making them feel significant:

“It’s good to see you.”
"I really like that my teachers
actually see me and know me.
Finding out a bit about them – if they’re okay to They even know what bus I take."
tell you. This might include asking about their —Young person
likes, dislikes and interests. They are more than
their status, background and experiences.

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children and young people might also be looked after

"My teacher tries to translate the key parts of by unfamiliar adults. Educational communities can pro-
the lesson using his iPad. It doesn’t always
work, but that makes us both laugh. "
vide some much-needed stability with their routines
— Young person
and expectations but this will have to be communicat-
ed appropriately.

Language You could:

It can be hard for children and young people to feel
safe if they cannot communicate effectively in their Provide information about the timetable,
environment. As well as giving them opportunities to using visual symbols and translated words where
learn English, they will really appreciate your efforts appropriate.
to translate things. This doesn’t have to be an entire
translated science textbook (although that would be Show them key places in the building and maybe
fantastic). It might be a simple translation on a phone give them an initial tour and a map to use.
or tablet enabling you to ask how someone is feeling or
doing that day. Provide them with the necessary equipment
and uniform if they are not able to buy this
"We give our newly arrived children a fan with key words/ themselves. Some families may be trying to live
symbols so they can immediately communicate basic needs on unbelievably small amounts of money.
to us- needing the toilet, feeling unwell, being thirsty etc."
— ESOL teacher
Help them understand expectations about
lessons, break times and behaviour, and respond
Remember that some children and young people with compassion when they don’t quite get
may not be literate in their first language so you may it right. It can be useful to keep in mind that
need to use a spoken rather than written translation. some young people may not know that adults
Children and young people have told us that they really in school won’t hit them if they make a mistake
like it when staff make an effort, even if it’s not always as they may have experienced this previously
successful, as it shows them that they are cared for in other settings. They may also be unfamiliar
and valued. more broadly with your routines and educational
Whilst you are unlikely to have access to an culture and expectations.
interpreter full time, there will be times when it is
very important to make sure you use one, if the child, Find them a peer or buddy who can support all of
young person or their caregiver is not fluent in English. this for the first few weeks. Sometimes this works
Such times might include when important informa- even better if they can be paired with someone
tion needs to be conveyed or conversations about who speaks the same language.
their health, mental wellbeing and progress are being
discussed. You will need to consider regional dialects Plan and forewarn them about changes to the
and check in with the young person or caregiver before school day (where possible). Unpredictable and
accessing an interpreter. It is not appropriate to ask sudden changes might be harder to cope with.
children to interpret for their parents or caregivers at
these times. Some children and young people may never
Having to communicate in English all day is ex- have had access to any educational environment
hausting and a lot of pressure. Look for opportunities before so will benefit from time and care to help
for them to be able to use their first language- formally them settle.
and informally. First language use supports learning a
second language.

"I was really scared to ask to use the toilet

Familiarity and routine in front of boys. This is not something you
Children and young people feel safe when there is would do in my culture. My teacher gave
me a toilet pass so I didn’t need to say
some certainty, stability and predictability in their lives. anything. This made it easier."
This can be difficult to achieve if they don’t yet have — Young person
housing, financial or legal stability. Some separated

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Curriculum
The curriculum may present both opportunities and A safe start: when a child or young person first
challenges. Subjects such as RSHE (Relationships, starts at your setting
social, health education) might provide opportunities There is a lot to think about when a child or young
to focus on managing feelings which can be useful person first joins your educational community. All the
for everyone. RSHE can also allow you to make your ideas we have outlined above will be helpful, but we’ve
ethos about wellbeing really clear. It is likely that topics summarised some of the main ones here to help this
in a range of subject areas might be triggering for a process feel safer for children, young people and their
child or young person struggling with trauma fol- families. (See also The Bell Foundation Prepare Alert
lowing war, conflict and persecution. When you are Welcome Support [PAWS] model resources.)
aware of this, it can be really helpful to let the child
or young person know and make a plan with them.
It may involve you both agreeing a signal if they are
feeling overwhelmed, having another supportive adult When a new child or young person
available and sometimes even agreeing together that starts
this activity would be too hard right now. There will be
times when you aren’t aware that something would
be triggering until the child or young person is already Planning ahead
struggling. You can still give a warm and supportive
response and offer help within your staff team. For ex- Raise staff awareness of the needs of children
ample, young people seeking asylum may find it very and young people seeking asylum through a
hard to share their thoughts and feelings about their staff meeting or training session. Include all staff,
sexuality or gender as this may be heavily stigmatised particularly office/reception staff who will often
in their country of origin and they may fear persecu- have a key role as the first point of contact with
tion. Where LGBTQIA+ issues are discussed in your families. You might start with the NHS Education
educational community, such as in RSHE, along with for Scotland animation Sowing Seeds Trauma in-
your usual sensitive and non-judgmental approach formed practice for anyone working with children
you might want to particularly be mindful of how they and young people.
are coping with these conversations.
Have a designated member of staff who champi-
Physical environment ons the needs of those seeking asylum.
Psychological safety may also be related to the phys- This staff member might help keep staff aware
ical environment. Some children and young people and informed of current events that might impact
will feel safer in rooms that have plenty of light and on children and families who have experienced
clear exits so they know how they can get out. Smaller war and conflict - Refugee Council briefing
rooms might trigger memories of being trapped or
imprisoned. You of course, can’t redesign your entire Include the senior mental health lead (SMHL) and
physical environment but might want to keep these designated safeguarding lead (DSL) in discussions
things in mind, particularly if you notice they are find- to consider the needs of those seeking asylum.
ing it difficult to settle.
Consider your ESOL (English for speakers of
You could try asking: other languages) provision and how you can best
use staff and resources to support a new child or
∙ Does the room feel safe to you? young person. Could this be scheduled when oth-
er children or young people are learning another
∙ Is there a good place for you to sit? foreign language? Try to avoid children and young
people being taken out of a lesson for ESOL work
∙ Is there someone it would help to sit with? if this clashes with something they really enjoy.

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Admissions process First day

Your first contact with the family or caregivers Consider offering a part-time timetable initially if
can set the tone for how safe they feel with you, they might be overwhelmed at managing for the
so spend time thinking about how the admissions whole day.
process is managed.
Review your admissions process with office staff Allocate a buddy/peer or two to support the child
to check whether it feels appropriate for children or young person for their first few days. Even
and young people seeking asylum. You may want better if it is someone who speaks the same
the support or your ESOL or pastoral lead with language. (See International Red Cross Being a
this. You will want to capture information that Buddy resources).
helps you know how best to support their child
and how to signpost them to other organisations Provide some basic language tools with signs/
(such as British Red Cross) that have expertise in symbols so they can at least communicate their
helping those seeking asylum. But you will want basic needs with you.
to avoid putting parents or caregivers under
pressure or asking intrusive questions. Think Give them a map and timetable. For younger
about how you can word questions openly and children this might be a simple visual timetable or
sensitively and follow the parent or caregiver’s a ‘now and next’ board.
lead if you can see that it is difficult for them. The
International Rescue Committee have a guidance Schedule a check in with child or young person
document for an initial meeting. and their family or caregivers to see how their first
Staff leading these conversations will want to feel day was.
confident to ask difficult questions and have the
emotional capacity to listen to potentially difficult
information. These conversations might happen
over a period of time rather than on one occasion
and you may well need to arrange an interpreter.
First few weeks
Possible questions:
Consider undertaking an informal language
∙ Can I ask you some questions to help me help assessment to work out their level of English- but
your child? avoid anything that might feel overwhelming for
them.
∙ Did you have to leave your country because it
wasn’t safe? Check in again with child or young person and
parents or caregivers.
∙ Would you feel comfortable telling me about
your legal status? Are you seeking asylum? Offer to put them in touch with other parents or
Do you have leave to remain in the UK? Is this caregivers with lived refugee experience or local
time limited? organisations.

Arrange for the child or young person to visit your Offer to help them connect with the parents or
community ahead of their first day. Give them a caregivers of children in the same year group.
short tour and point out key areas- their class-
room, where to put their bag, the toilets, where
to eat lunch. Education may have looked quite
different in their country of origin and some may
have had no previous formal education.

Ensure they have the right equipment, uniform

and travel passes and offer to support with this
as needed.

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Helping children and young people to

feel calm

Experiences of trauma can leave a child or young Khalil’s teacher noticed that he spent all his time
speaking Arabic and playing with another Arabic
person constantly alert to potential danger or threat. speaking child. She worried that this was getting in
They may quite quickly become overwhelmed by the way of learning English, making more friends, and
environmental triggers and reminders. When thinking feeling ‘connected’ to the wider school community. Her
Educational Psychologist urged patience, and suggested
about how you can help them feel calm you will want to she give Khalil a bit of time to find his feet and that having
consider ways of preventing distress as well as ways of a friend who he could speak to was wonderful. The
responding to them becoming overwhelmed. teacher found that as time went on, there would be other
ways that she could start to help him to widen his circle of
friends – a bit like having a secure attachment that allows
Calm environment you to explore and come back to base.
Ensure there is access to a base room and/or a safe
space within a base room for a child or young person to
use if they are feeling overwhelmed. This might include
access to resources that help the child or young per-
son to regulate, such as those drawn from the calming Calm communication
activities suggested below. Building on your work using relationships to help
children and young people feel safe, when internally
they are struggling with the ongoing impact of trauma,
the way you communicate with them is vital to help-
At Amina’s nursery they set up a pop up tent with colourful
cushions, soft toys and a blanket from home. Her key person
ing them feel calm. Loud noises, shouting and cross
would invite Amina to curl up on a bean bag in there when faces might be particularly triggering to those who
she noticed she was frightened or overwhelmed. have experienced trauma and they may be really good
at detecting anger even when others are not. Their
experiences may have taught them just how important
Consider whether your environment is culturally sen- it is to notice threats quickly to keep them safe, and
sitive e.g. provide a safe and calm space to pray and to they may now be a little too good at it – they may see
relax especially during Ramadan. possible threats where they don’t actually exist. And
There may be a student support room or similar where because noticing threats is about survival, it may not
children and young people can get support if they are be that easy for them to unlearn those lessons. They
struggling. Provide a poster with the names and photos may interpret mild frustration or irritation as potentially
of staff as well as details about when and how they can dangerous anger. Your face, body language, gesture,
access this support. tone and words can all help to convey calm. Making a
Consider flexibility when grouping children and young deliberate effort to speak in a quieter, calmer tone can
people in sets/classes: be really helpful.
In a busy working day it can be hard to find time
∙ Can they be in a class with other pupils who to communicate calmly and give traumatised children
speak the same language? and young people a little bit extra. Sometimes it might
∙ Can their seating position place them with be helpful to ‘defer attention’ by saying calmly, ‘I really
peers who are supportive? want to hear more about this. Right now I just need to
∙ Would they benefit more from a quieter, calmer set the rest of the class some work. Can we talk about
class rather than one best suited to their current it at break?’
level of attainment? (For example, maybe from You might find that images or stories of trauma
current performance a young person would be appear as themes in their work. Responding to these
placed in a lower set for physics, however, a set calmly and with care, rather than showing that their ex-
with a quieter peer group might be better to help periences are too much for you will be important, even
them feel settled, even if just in the short term.) if they might be upsetting to see or read about.

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be important, so consider having a range of things they

"During an English lesson on autobiogra-
phies, one pupil wrote in detail about the can try out when they are calm so they can use them
terror of having to flee his home after the when they really need them. This is not about getting
fighting reached his town. Although the rid of their feelings, but more about finding ways to
teacher was supposed to assess his work
she knew there was no way she could
recognise and manage them when they feel strong
comment on spelling, grammar and or overwhelming. This might be done on an individual
use of language. Instead she level with a staff member they are getting to know, or
wrote ‘Thank you for being so
might be done as a class or group as the ideas can be
brave to share your story
with me.’" helpful to other children in your setting.
— Teacher These ideas are just that – ideas. Use your own,
or even better, those of the child and young per-
son. Things that draw on their interests and cultural
Calming techniques practice can be really effective such as using prayer,
At times, traumatised children and young people drumming, traditional cultural music or their interests
might suddenly feel overwhelmed and you may see in swimming or superheroes. In trying these out with
their outbursts of tears, anger, fear. They may even young people we have found it better not to ‘gatekeep’
dissociate – this is where they temporarily lose touch by deciding what we think would be most age appropri-
with the here and now, or they lose connection with ate. Many young people have liked the playful activities
their own bodies. They may also become absorbed in a and enjoyed having fun and finding out what works for
difficult memory. Learning about what helps an indi- them. Having had disrupted childhoods, play and crea-
vidual feel calm and able to regulate their emotions will tive activities might be really valuable:

In touch Feelings Journal Music for my mind

Find things that feel nice to touch or Use a notepad to keep a journal of your Listen to a piece of music that feels
hold. Maybe things that feel soothing thoughts and feelings. calming or reminds you of a good
and help bring you back to the here and Can you describe the feeling? memory.
now. If it had a colour, what colour would it be? You could make a playlist of the best
For example: playdough, lime, soft fabric, Where do you feel it? If it were a type of tracks to help your emotions settle.
feathers, a squeezy ball, a smooth pebble. weather, what would it be?
You could write in your first language,
in English or you might fill it with
drawings. Tense and relax
Bubble breathing Tense and relax different muscles in
Choose what to share and what to keep
Use a pot of bubbles. breathe slowly your body. Maybe start with your feet
private.
and steadily to create large bubbles. and move upwards.
This can help make your breathing Hold the muscles tight in one part of
more steady and help your body feel your body for ten seconds and then
calmer. Nature breathe out slowly as you relax them.
Get outside to feel the sun, wind or
rain. Feel the air on your face or hands.
Mind travel 54321
Build a picture in your mind of some- Try finding:
where that feels calm and relaxing. Mountains and valleys breathing
5 things you can see
What can you see, hear, smell, touch and Calmly and slowly trace up and down
4 things you can touch
taste there? Who would be there with each finger on your hand.
3 things you can hear
you? What would you be doing? Breathe in as you trace up each finger.
2 things you can smell
You could even draw a picture of your Breathe out as you trace down each
1 thing you can taste
mind travel place to help you bring it to finger.
mind more easily.
Reset meditation
Move it Sit down and be quiet and still.
Cool it Do something physical that you enjoy. This might be at a time of prayer or
Drink a cup of cool water slowly For example: running, swimming, following a short meditation, maybe
through a straw. dancing, football, cricket using an app.

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 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

child or young person left, keeping a connection with

"Andrii… Andrii…. Hi, it’s Ms Sandhu, I can see that you’re
having a really tough time just now, it’s ok, I’m here with
their country of origin might be helpful. Even though it
you, in your classroom with your friends, you’re safe now, may have been the location for traumatic events, many
you can be calm, let’s do that breathing we all practiced children and young people feel pride in their nation
yesterday." — Teacher
and community and welcome opportunities to tell you
about and celebrate it. This also extends to having a
You might also want to try out using an activity from continued connection with their faith and culture. Look
above to briefly help the child or young person feel for opportunities to learn about the festivals and cele-
calmer and get ready to learn rather than expecting brations that may be unfamiliar to you and find ways to
them to be able to settle straight away. Other times include children and young people in this. Families have
you might want to invite them to draw on an activity told us about the very significant value of being rec-
they are familiar with to help them if they are having a ognised. They won’t expect you to know all about their
difficult moment. You could help them build a ‘comfort culture and festivals but can tell if they’re being treated
box’ to keep the resources or cards with activity ideas with kindness and respect.
for in. Some young people might need an exit pass and
a safe place to go to so they can have some space and
"My tutor sometimes remembers my festivals
privacy to use these ideas if they are overwhelmed. You even when I’m not aware. The fact that she
can also support them with phrases such as ‘it is safe has bothered to find out and say something
here’ and ‘it’s okay’. to me is really good." —Young person
You could even run a group where you help
children and young people learn how to cope with the Separated children may also be grieving for the loss of
overwhelming feelings and distressing memories from contact with their family members. They may be par-
their experiences of war and conflict (Children and War ticularly at risk of isolation. Some may not even know
UK offer training for non-mental health workers in where their loved ones are or if they are safe (British
running a group programme called Teaching Recovery Red Cross offer an international family tracing service).
Techniques. Mina Fazel’s mental health toolbox for Even those who live with family are however, likely to be
those working with children and young people seeking separated from their wider support network of impor-
asylum might also be useful). tant people such as relatives and friends. Pets may also
play a significant part in a child or young person’s life
and having to leave them behind may have been really
"When I saw a message from school saying Eid
difficult.
Mubarak I was lost for words, I couldn’t believe
it, I felt at home." — Parent

"When it was our Orthodox Easter

Helping children and young people to celebration, we got our dinner ready
and managed to Facetime my aunty
feel connected back home so we could eat and share
together." —Young person
Connection is a key part of helping children and young
people recover from trauma. By this we mean a mean-
ingful, trusted connection rather than just having con- Connection with staff
tact with others. Experiencing trauma can lead children Making meaningful connections with adults is a key
and young people to withdraw and isolate themselves, element for recovery following trauma. Connections
and this is not going to support their recovery. De- might take a while to establish, particularly if their trau-
veloping a sense of connection and belonging in the matic experiences were perpetrated by adults. The
UK, although very important for wellbeing might also previous section about feeling safe offers some ideas
be an ongoing stressor. Acculturation is a word that for starting and building relationships. Children and
describes the process as children and young people young people have told us that it helps to know that
strive to fit in in their new country and community. This adults in school care about them.
may bring additional tensions as some aspects of cul- If you have built a trusted connection with a child
ture here may not align with the values and traditions of or young person, they are more likely to be open about
their family. their thoughts, feelings and memories. You are well
placed to listen; not to act as their therapist but to have
Connection with country of origin, supportive conversations with them. They may avoid
aith and culture giving details about their exact experiences because
As well as learning to settle and make connections in a this might be too painful right now. But just being
new country that may be vastly different to the one the listened to can be helpful in itself as it gives children

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people want to talk they will, and if they are unsure they
"If I’ve been absent, my tutor always probably won’t, so as long as your approach is a gentle
remembers and asks how I am when
I return."
and doesn’t feel like an instruction to talk, it’s probably
—Young person okay. Some of these conversations might occur as part
of everyday life in your educational community. Others
might need a bit more planning to think about a safe
and young people an experience of being validated and place and an appropriate time.
having their distress tolerated by others. Having such Over time, you will then be well placed to continue
conversations can be hugely rewarding for the adult, but to have gentle conversations that help you understand
it will be important to be aware of the impact of this on more about any difficulties they may be having. We all
you. (Please use section 5 on self-care for help with this). have our own way of wording things, so don’t feel that
you need to use this as a precise script. These are just
some ideas here to get you started, or to reassure you
about your current approach. Your tone and manner
"When my child was unwell I let the school
know. The next day they rang to see if she will probably be more important than the exact words
was any better. It was so nice that they you use.
care about her." — Parent
Conversation starters

When my student support manager takes

“ I know that you had to leave your country because it
wasn’t safe. Is there anything you want me to know
a moment to listen to me, it is like they are
giving me a gift, the gift of time. about that?”
— Young person
“ In your work I read about some difficult things that
you have been through. Would you like me to know
Conversations that build connection anything more about them?”
Conversations are just one way of building relation-
ships with children and young people. You won’t want
to jump straight into asking them about any traumatic
“ Sometimes I notice that you look a bit worried/
stressed/upset. Can we think about how we can
experiences, unless they are already bringing them up, best help you?”
in which case some of the ideas below might help you
feel more confident to respond to them. But as they
settle in your educational community, you can use
“ Are there things we can do here that help you to feel
more calm/safer?”
opportunities to get to know about:
Responses when the child or young person shares
∙ their interests something personal about their experiences:
∙ their likes and dislikes
∙
∙
their talents
their dreams.
“ Thank you for telling me about … It helps me to learn
more about you.”

You might then ask them a little about their life now
generally:
“ It took courage to tell me that. Thank you for
trusting me.”

∙
∙
who they’re living with
where they live
“ It is understandable and normal to have really strong
feelings about really difficult memories. It doesn’t
∙ what they do at the weekends mean there is something ‘wrong’ with you, but it
∙ how they get to nursery/school/college. might be good to think together about what would
help."
You might also gently ask about any family, friends or
pets in their country of origin. When a child or young person is reacting in ways that
Some of this might be sensitive for them to talk about, may be the result of traumatic experiences, you will
so look out for signs that they don’t want to talk or want to respond gently and sensitively. If you just go
need some comfort. Usually if children and young out of your way to avoid their distress, it may commu-

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nicate to them that it is too much for you and this may face, seek to balance the narrative by celebrating pos-
increase their sense of isolation. itive refugee stories as part of your antiracism curricu-
lum. Schools of Sanctuary have excellent resources to
Careful curiosity support with this.
If you can connect peers with others in your
“ I noticed that you seemed far away and distant
in class. Can you tell me what you were thinking
community who have experienced war and conflict
then for some this can be really helpful. It can be even
about? " better if they can have contact with others from the
same ethnic group. This might even help to reduce
“ It looked as though something upset you at lunch
today. Can I ask you about that? "
post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms¹².
However, those who have experienced political or
religious persecution may feel unsafe around families
Some children and young people may be very private from the same group if they fear further discrimination
about their feelings and memories, but you can still let from them. We can normalise these feelings and ask
them know you care: each family what they would prefer. If there are only
one or two children and young people with this experi-
“ It’s good to see you." ence in your educational community, look to link them
with community organisations or activities where they
“ Thank you for doing your homework." might meet others with migration experiences.

“ You did well to speak up today."

The teacher on the school gate always
asks how we are, particularly if our
“ I know you’ve got a lot going on right now.
I’ll be thinking of you during the half term break."
country has been in the news. He carries
his phone with him so that we can use it
for translation if we need to. — Parent

Connection with peers

Having good relationships with peers is fundamental Connection with your educational community
for the adjustment and wellbeing of children and young Young people and families seeking asylum have told
people seeking asylum. Experiences of discrimination, us that they tend to find written communication easier
isolation and bullying can potentially compound previ- so they can use online translation tools to aid under-
ously traumatic experiences¹¹, so finding ways to sup- standing. Phone calls can often be more difficult to fol-
port and foster effective peer relationships will be really low if they are not yet confident in English. But it is not
important. Understandably connection with peers can always sufficient to send out a generic email. Checking
be hindered by having limited spoken English, so look in with the parent or caregiver’s understanding will be
for activities that aren’t so reliant on this such as sport helpful.
or creative activities. Although written communication might be pref-
Encourage the child or young person to teach their erable from a translation perspective, look for oppor-
peers some words and phrases in their first language. tunities for face-to-face contact wherever possible.
You can support this by using a few words in their first This might include coffee mornings, invitations to join
language when you can in class, such as when taking assemblies and visits to see what happens in class. You
the register. might also offer to support families to connect with
Take an active anti-discrimination stance, ad- other parents and caregivers.
vocating for those who have been affected by war, When children and young people settle well and
conflict and persecution. Not only will the children and have a good sense of belonging in your community
young people seeking asylum benefit from a sense of this can act as a buffer against some of their traumatic
safety but everyone in your community will know that reactions. Being busy with lessons and peers offers a
discrimination is unacceptable, and racism will not be welcome distraction. Young people have told us that
tolerated. they find weekends and particularly holidays much
To help develop your inclusive approach, look harder. They feel more isolated and can struggle to
for opportunities to inform those in your community cope with intrusive thoughts and memories as they
about matters relating to migration in assemblies, have less to distract them.
charity events and special projects. As well as high- Children and young people should have their
lighting the challenges those seeking refuge often own structure of adult support that may include their

23
 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

parents, other relatives, foster carers, support worker

or hostel staff. Building connections with these adults
It was really hard when I first went
will further enhance the relationship with their child. Be to college as I only had lessons 3
mindful too of their own wellbeing and use your local days per week.
network or helplines (e.g. Barnados BOLOH helpline) to I had so much time alone and
really struggled to cope with my
make sure that the adults have sufficient support, so feelings.
that they can be the best carers they can be for their — —Young person
child or young person. This can further protect their
child from longer term difficulties.

Case Study by NEST individuals. Most of the students have experienced

acute trauma, with many continuing to be re-trau-
matised through reliving their experiences during
Nottingham Education Sanctuary Team, or NEST, the asylum process. Many have lost family and loved
as it is generally known, is an alternative education ones and are dealing with multiple bereavements.
provision based in Nottingham City for 15-19-year- Symptoms such as disturbed sleep, headaches,
old refugees and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking flashbacks, memory loss and lack of concentration
Children. It was created in 2018 from a partnership are common amongst students. Staff recognise
with Nottingham City Local Authority and The when students are struggling and are able to ac-
University of Nottingham. At this time many newly knowledge and support with an individual approach.
arrived young people were struggling to find college Some may just need a quiet space, prayer time
places as these places filled up at the beginning of or someone to listen. A key learning for teachers
the academic year. NEST was established based on has been that listening and empathising can be
a range of research findings in relation to refugee incredibly important. At the start, teachers often
education at Nottingham University. It was estab- felt helpless and unable to provide solutions when
lished with the key themes explored by Ravi Kohli of listening to the struggles that students have en-
Safety, Belonging and Success. dured. However, they learned that bearing witness
After the success of the first two years, NEST to students, accepting and valuing them without
found a new home as part of a larger local authority prejudice or judgment and empathising with how
provision supporting other vulnerable young people they are feeling, had a profound and positive impact.
in the city called the Hospital and Home Education Teachers feel able to share parts of themselves,
Learning Centre (HHELC). Initially NEST had a limit which encourages students to share and be accept-
of 20 students, however it has now been able to ed for who they are. Fun is another important part of
expand to 50 students per year. As part of a larger NEST as many of the students have missed parts of
school it has been able to utilise the skills of other their childhood due to their experiences. By seeing
specialist staff, complimenting the original core the teachers being “a bit silly”, students are given the
curriculum of English, maths, ICT and PHSE, with message “it’s okay to be you”.
subjects such as science, humanities, DT and study At NEST it is a collaborative approach be-
skills alongside a range of enrichment opportunities. tween staff and students, where pupil voice is vital in
The staff are able to utilise other skills that the stu- shaping the curriculum and how rules and routines
dents bring with them, and respond to their inter- are put in place. Students are given opportunities
ests and capabilities, which enhances their feeling of to feedback about all aspects of NEST. Staff can’t
belonging and value by recognising that they all have promise to make all the changes that are request-
skills to offer. A specialist counselling provision has ed but it is important that students feel heard
been established, which has helped to support the and understood so that they know why things are
students’ wellbeing. happening.
At the core of the approach for NEST has Communication with key agencies and stake-
been nurture. Students are welcomed and seen as holders has been vital in ensuring the best support

24
 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

for students. By making certain everyone is aware support has been recognised as an important as-
of what is happening for a student ensures they feel pect of support. Some staff have described positive
safe and supported. NEST staff will often interact outcomes for them personally, where they feel they
with parents and carers, GPs, social workers, solic- value their own lives more, and gain huge satisfac-
itors, CAMHS and housing providers. Although this tion from working with such an inspiring group of
may not be possible in a more mainstream provision, young people - not seeing the students as victims,
it has been part of the holistic approach at NEST, but seeing their growth in the face of their past and
where students may have no one else to ask for present challenges.
support. The impact of an environment where students
Many students have described NEST as a feel welcomed, respected and understood has ulti-
family; somewhere they feel they belong and are mately created an education provision where excel-
safe. The equality of the teacher-student rela- lent academic outcomes naturally go hand in hand
tionship develops respect where the students feel with a nurturing, therapeutic approach. Although
important. This is key for those seeking asylum or establishing relationships and maintaining the prin-
with refugee status as they can often feel the most ciples NEST was built on has become more chal-
marginalised in society. Although working with the lenging as the provision has grown, the principles of
students has been emotionally challenging for staff safety, belonging and success through a nurturing
at times, having access to supervision and peer and relational approach, remains the same.

My math’s teacher sometimes lets

me use the methods I know from my
Helping children and young people to school in my home country rather than
insisting I do it the UK way.
feel in control
— Young person

Traumatic events, particularly experiences of war and

conflict can leave children and young people feeling
that their world is out of control. Understandably they This might include giving choices over:
might feel that they have little control over their own
lives and what happens to them. This can shatter any ∙ lessons or activities to engage in
confidence they had in their ability to influence what ∙ which language to use and when
happens. Sometimes caring adults can inadvertently ∙ when to have support with learning and when to
compound this by doing everything for them, adding work independently
to feelings of powerless and uselessness. While it is ∙ what to share and what to keep private
really important to consider the potential risks, many ∙ where they can spend break and lunch times,
of these children and young people will have developed if they need a quieter space.
significant resilience, resourcefulness and independ-
ence, perhaps more so than their UK peers. This You might also look to involve them in
doesn’t mean we should dismiss their needs as chil- decision making by:
dren and young people, but we can look for opportuni-
ties to help develop their sense of agency, and control ∙ making sure they are included in conversations
they have over their lives. and meetings and given time to express their
Of course, there are limits to what they can and views on decisions about them
cannot choose to do, but look for opportunities to ∙ helping them to choose exam subjects that are
offer choices, involve them in decisions and actively not determined by their current level of English
engage them in aspects of their lives to boost their ∙ making sure discussions about referrals for
confidence and sense of being capable. support include the child or young person

25
 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

∙ looking to include representation from those might make for a catchy tune or a political slogan, but
seeking refuge or asylum on your school council/ it’s unlikely to be helpful when working with children and
or student voice young people. It is however possible to weave some
∙ ensuring they are giving informed consent to positive thoughts about the future into their thinking.
participate in projects and really understand what Asking about their hopes and helping them to start
it will involve. to imagine a future that is different from their past.
Helping them to make specific and realistic plans can
be helpful. Combining this with a trusted adult holding
My teachers supported me with my
the hope for them sometimes can help to change their
GCSE options, even finding out if I expectations of the future.
could take Arabic GCSE using my first You will want to be mindful of the role that faith,
language. — Young person
religion and culture might play in the child, young per-
son’s or family’s concept of hope.
As an educational community, actively support-
ing those affected by war and conflict is a significant
We actively sought representation from parents with
statement of hope. Having a staff member who has
refugee experience on our governing body.
responsibility to advocate for and ensure their needs
— Headteacher
are met is also powerful in expressing that children and
young people who have experienced trauma are worth
championing. Receiving positive affirmation from staff
And seek to build their confidence by: supports their emotional wellbeing and having a posi-
tive school experience enhances resilience¹³.
∙ giving them activities that draw on their
strengths and give them ways to feel successful
∙ acknowledging their effort not just their results
∙ inviting them to share their first language “We do not dwell on the past, the past kicks down our
doors, comes rushing in, grabs us by the throat and starts
expertise with their class punching us.”
∙ inviting them to share and express important
aspects of their cultural heritage Video about PTSD on Mind website ►
∙ placing them in a set according to their ability
not their level of English.

Young people have also told us that they find these

At nursery we all learnt a song from Amina’s Afghan
community. things helpful:
Amina beamed with pride every time we sang it.
­— Teacher “ My teacher believes in me even when I don’t believe
in myself."

Helping children and young people to “ When others talk about my future in a positive way,
feel hopeful it helps me to imagine the future as a good thing."

Having lived through traumatic experiences and now “ I was helped to get work experience even though I
living with potential uncertainty about the future can didn’t think anyone would offer me a placement as I
make it hard to feel hopeful. As adults around a child have no contacts in this area."
or young person we will want to make sure that our
efforts to be hopeful don’t appear to dismiss their hor- “ The staff helped me with my college application,
ror and distress. We can, however, play a valuable role telling me that by the time I transferred to college
in holding a sense of optimism about the future and a my English would be good enough."
belief that things can get better.
This is not about trampling over their past and telling “ My teachers have hope that one day my country
them to think positive things about the future rather and community will be a peaceful place. This really
than dwelling on the past. “Things, can only get better” helps because sometimes I can’t see this."

26
 Section 3 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Hope isn’t always straightforward: Section summary

Even when a young person has hoped for and is
successful in being granted leave to remain, their relief ∙ Principles for recovery: You can create an
may co-occur with a sense of sadness and grief at not environment that promotes recovery from
being able to return home or be reunited with family trauma by using five evidence informed
and loved ones. principles helping children and young people
to feel safe, calm, connected, in control and
Hope can be contagious: hopeful.
Not only can you play a role in fostering a sense of
hope in children and young people affected by war and ∙ Safe: The whole world can feel unsafe after
conflict, but you might find that hope arises from the traumatic events. Consider how relationships,
work you do with them. Those you support may also language, familiarity and routine, curriculum, the
inspire hope in you as you witness their ability to adapt physical environment and having a safe start in
and grow in confidence and resilience. your educational community can all contribute
to helping children and young people beginning
to feel safe.

∙ Calm: Traumatic experiences might leave

children and young people seeking asylum
feeling on edge and easily overwhelmed. You
can use your environment and communication
as well as developing regulation techniques that
all help them feel calm.

∙ Connected: Struggling with trauma reactions

can leave children and young people vulnerable
to being isolated and this can then make their
difficulties even harder. Look for ways to foster
connection with their country of origin, faith and
culture as well as develop trusting relationships
with staff and peers and the wider educational
community.

∙ In control: Experiences of war, conflict and

persecution can leave children and young
people without any sense of control or belief
in their own abilities. Use opportunities to give
them choices, involve them in decision making
and seek to build their confidence.

∙ Hopeful: Having experienced traumatic events

and living with ongoing uncertainty can make it
hard to feel hopeful about the future. Holding
the hope through believing in them and their
potential can give a powerful message that the
future can be better.

27
 Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Section 4

When to seek specialist help

Trauma reactions are natural and understandable support from work mental health professionals.
responses for children and young people who have ex- Although rates of mental health difficulties (such as
perienced the trauma of war, conflict and persecution. PTSD, depression and anxiety) are understandably
Even though you can play an important role in their higher in this population than in peers born and raised
recovery through the environment you have created, in the UK, not every child or young person seeking
sometimes extra help is needed. asylum will need a specialist psychological intervention.
This section outlines some ways of identifying Working out if a young person might need additional
when a child or young people may require more spe- support, and when and how to take those next steps
cialist support, should you continue to worry about isn’t necessarily straightforward. The graphic on the
their difficulties. These are very much suggestions, following page isn’t an exact process to be followed
with no fixed ‘shoulds’ or ‘musts’. How much you follow precisely but offers some ideas about how to explore
these ideas will not only depend on the need of the the difficulties a child or young person might have.
individual child or young person but also on the skills, Each step is then outlined in detail below. Use it to
capacity and experience you and your staff team have guide you, along with your usual processes for sup-
around mental health. Someone such as the designat- porting children and young people who may be at risk
ed safeguarding lead, mental health lead or staff mem- of enduring difficulties. Even when seeking specialist
ber with a senior pastoral role might be best placed help, it's important to keep the relationship you have
to lead on the suggestions outlined below alongside with them central to whatever you do.

28
 Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

1. Time to settle
Give the child or young person time to settle in, with
support from trusted adults drawing on the princi-
ples outlined in section 3. You’re unlikely to get an
1. accurate picture of their difficulties within the first
Time to settle few weeks or even month or so. With a support-
ive environment that helps them feel safe, calm,
connected, in control and hopeful (as described in
Still section 3) you will be maximising their chances of re-
concerned? Yes
covery from their traumatic experiences. You might
want to get some advice from your local Educational
Psychologist Service,Mental Health Support Teams
2.1
or counselling service such as Place2Be even before
Monitor & record
difficulties the child or young person joins your educational
community.
2.2
Consider impact

2.3 2.1 Monitor and record difficulties

Discuss If you start to notice things that make you concerned
about a child or young person, don’t feel that you
need to jump straight in, unless there are risks or
Still safeguarding concerns. Use your usual processes for
concerned? Yes
observing, monitoring and recording concerns. You
may also have other concerns about special educa-
tional needs, neurodiversity or learning difficulties.
3.1
Consent to gather
There is no straightforward process or strict order,
information but it is usually worth considering what role trauma
might be playing, as you explore other aspects of
3.2 their development but also don’t assume the prob-
Using a questionnaire
lems are all trauma related. Trauma responses can
look like difficulties with engagement or attention
3.3 and are likely to make it harder to learn.
Feedback results
If you can, gather observations from a range of
adults so you can see the breadth of impact the dif-
ficulties are having across their education and social
Still time. Remember that much of what occurs when a
concerned? Yes
child or young person has been traumatised happens
internally and for some, their outward reactions may
be quite subtle.
4.
No
Onward referral

5.1
Maintain ongoing
support

5.2
Hold the hope

29
 Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

1. 2.2 Consider impact

Time to settle After monitoring and gathering information for at
least a few weeks consider whether the reactions
you have noticed appear to be:
∙ severe
∙ persistent
∙ frequent
Still Yes ∙ broad
concerned? ∙ enduring
∙ a change (this is likely to be difficult to monitor
as you didn’t know them before their traumatic
experiences)
2.1 ∙ putting them at risk
∙ having a significant impact on their
Monitor & record day-to-day life.
difficulties If their difficulties suggest they are at significant risk
of harm, discuss with your Designated Safeguarding
Lead immediately and follow your setting’s usual
2.2 protocols.
Consider impact

2.3 Discuss with the child or young person

and their family or caregivers
2.3
Discuss what you have noticed with the child or
Discuss young person and/or with their parent or caregiver as
appropriate. These are important conversations, so
if their English is not yet fluent enough, be sure to use
an interpreter.
This might be an ongoing conversation rather
Still than a one-off meeting. You are trying to build their
concerned? Yes trust, and this is unlikely to happen if the first con-
versation you have is about a problem or issue. Try
to normalise what you are concerned about – this
means making sure that you explain that what you
have noticed is a natural response to very difficult ex-
3.1 periences. Explain that sometimes if difficulties don’t
Consent to gather begin to reduce over time, children and young people
information can really benefit from having some additional help.
Find out about any difficulties they have at home,
including with their sleep or appetite and whether
3.2 they have been able to talk about their traumatic
Using a questionnaire experiences with anyone at home or in their trusted
social network.
Seek to hear and understand their perspective,
bearing in mind that trauma may not be a familiar
3.3 concept. In some communities, such difficulties may
Feedback results be understood through a framework of faith and
religion rather than mental health. They may feel
uncomfortable even discussing these problems with
you, as this might be a very different approach to that
taken within their culture.

Still Yes
concerned?
30
 2.1
Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM
Monitor & record
difficulties

2.2 3.1 Consent to gather information

Consider impact If there is agreement about ongoing difficulties they
are experiencing, seek consent to gather further
information. One way of doing this is to use a ques-
tionnaire that helps explore the difficulties the child
2.3 or young person is having as part of your discussion
Discuss about next steps.
You’re probably already familiar with children
and young people with low mood and anxiety and
you may have well established ways of noticing,
assessing, collaborating and referring. You might
Still use other questionnaires such as RCADS (Revised
concerned? Yes Child Anxiety and Depression Scale). Post-traumatic
stress reactions may be less familiar to you, but your
approach will generally be the same. And remem-
ber you don’t need to work alone with this, use your
usual pathways such as your Mental Health Sup-
3.1 port Teams (MHSTs), GP, Educational Psychologist
Consent to gather Service, local authority specialist teaching service or
information NHS mental health service.
When asking the child/young person and par-
ent/caregivers for consent to use a questionnaire it
3.2 might be helpful to:
Using a questionnaire
∙ Explain that using a questionnaire is one way
of helping you work out together how hard
it has been for them since their traumatic
3.3 experiences - it doesn’t give a label or
Feedback results diagnosis.

∙ Show them the questionnaire so they can see

what it is before agreeing to it.

∙ Explain that you will share the results with them

Still Yes and talk about any next steps.
concerned?
∙ Ask for their consent and tell them that they
can change their mind at any time.

4.
Onward referral 3.2 Using a questionnaire to explore trauma
reactions
If you are concerned about some of the difficulties
specific to trauma reactions in particular, such as
intrusive thoughts or avoidance which are key fea-
tures of PTSD, you could use the CRIES-8 screening
tool for young people aged between 8 to 18 years
old. This questionnaire helps you gather information
about their difficulties in a structured, contained
ng and systematic way. The CRIES-8 is a simple set
of 8 questions that helps you work out how much

31
 2.2
Consider impact
Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

2.3
Discuss the intrusive thoughts and avoidance about their
traumatic events are impacting them. It has been
used internationally with children and young people
affected by traumatic experiences including war and
conflict and is available in a number of languages.
To work safely with a mental health question-
Still Yes naire such as CRIES-8 we suggest that you consider:
concerned?
∙ choosing a supporting adult that has a
good relationship with the child or young
person to work with them on completing the
questionnaire
3.1
Consent to gather ∙ whether the supporting adult has experience
of using other questionnaires
information
∙ the optimal time to complete the
questionnaire. Ideally ask the child/young
3.2 person for their preference
Using a questionnaire
∙ the child’s cognitive development and whether
they are likely to understand the questions

∙ language fluency and whether the English or

3.3
another language version is more appropriate.
Feedback results Remember that even though translated
versions are available, the child or young person
may not be literate in their first language

∙ whether the emotional burden of completing

a questionnaire right now might be too much if
Still Yes
they are overwhelmed
concerned?
∙ completing the measure collaboratively so
you gain information about their responses
to the questions and can support them as
appropriate

4. ∙ having a bit of time after they complete the

Onward referral questionnaire rather than rushing back to
lessons. You might invite them to do a fun
activity to help them feel calmer

∙ scoring their responses carefully and using the

appropriate guidance. The Children and War
guidance will help you understand what the
CRIES-8 score means. A questionnaire is not
For those above 18, mental health professionals accurate or precise like a blood test, however,
might use the PCL-5. Screening younger children colleagues in NHS mental health services are
usually requires a different approach, gathering often familiar with the CRIES-8 and may use a
information from adult caregivers. Use your local score of 17+ as an indication that a referral for
authority, early years advisors or NHS professionals support with PTSD is likely to be appropriate.
for support with this.

32
 Consider impact
Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

2.3
Discuss
3.3 Feedback results
Discuss the questionnaire with child/young person
and/or parent/caregiver.

∙ Share the results from the questionnaire

Still Yes with the child/young person and/or parent/
concerned?
caregiver and explain what their score
suggests. Remember you’re not giving a
diagnosis. If they score high on the CRIES-8
questionnaire then they might, or might not
have PTSD. But it does indicate that they
3.1 probably have significant difficulties. And if
Consent to gather they are difficulties that fit with PTSD, then the
information good news is that there are some evidence
based interventions for PTSD (such as
‘trauma-focused CBT – see NICE Guidelines
or the Matrix Guide for Scotland for further
3.2 information). These are usually provided by a
Using a questionnaire local NHS service and will require a referral.

∙ Find out whether they think this is an accurate

reflection of their difficulties. If their score
3.3 suggests a higher level of PTSD symptoms,
think together about what your next steps
Feedback results might be and who else you could share the
results with.

∙ Is it helpful for other members of staff to know

so that they can understand and put plans in
place for when the child or young person is
Still Yes struggling in class?
concerned?
∙ If you have access to staff from a counselling or
therapy service in your educational community
you could discuss it with them.

∙ How does the child young person and /or

4. family/caregiver feel about you sharing the
Onward referral results your educational psychology service or
with your local mental health service in an initial
consultation and potentially discuss making a
referral?

∙ Take your time with these conversations so

that the family really understand what you
are suggesting. And take time to hear their
perspective, particularly about any hesitance
they may have about an onward referral. They
may be involved with a number of statutory
services and so be unsure about additional
professional involvement.

33
 2.3 Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM
Discuss

4. Onward referral
Still Yes
concerned? If you have a counselling or therapy service avail-
able in your educational setting you could find out
if they could offer support specifically to address
post-traumatic stress reactions. Depending on the
outcome, seek consultation with and / or referral to
3.1
Consent to a local mental health service/organisation that offers
gather
therapeutic
information support to children and young people
seeking asylum.
Your local NHS mental health service may
3.2have a trauma service and be in a position to offer a
Using a questionnaire
consultation ahead of a referral, even if waiting lists
for treatment are lengthy. For young people that are
already 17 years of age it may be possible to refer to
3.3adult mental health services. Also consider contact-
Feedbacking any specialist services in your locality that might
results
hold particular expertise in culturally adapted therapy
for children and young people affected by war and
conflict such as My View (part of Refugee Council).
Some services may also be able to offer therapy in
Still Yestheir first language or have access to interpreters.
concerned?

4.
No
Onward referral

5.1 Maintain ongoing support

5.1 Continue to build your relationship with the child or
Maintain ongoing young person and put in place any further support to
support help them when they are overwhelmed.
Whether the outcome is that the child or young
person is to have additional specialist support or not,
5.2 the help offered by your educational community re-
Hold the hope mains valuable. Recovery takes many forms, talking
therapy is just one! It may be that building confidence
through activities, developing positive coping strate-
gies and building social connections with people they
can trust are equally or more valued by the young
person.

5.2 Hold the hope for their future!

It will take time, care and support for a child or
young person to rebuild their life after experiencing
traumatic events. Your capacity to believe in and
hold onto hope for them can play a vital role in their
recovery.

34
 Section 4 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

1.
Time to settle

Section summary
Still Yes
concerned?
∙ Consider impact: Although not all children
and young people seeking asylum will
2.1 experience ongoing difficulties, for some the
Monitor & record significant impact on their life may indicate
difficulties
that they might need specialist help.
2.2
Concider impact ∙ A considered approach: Taking a carefully
considered approach to monitoring,
2.3
gathering information and discussing with
Discuss the young person and their caregivers can
help you work out if and when a referral might
be helpful.

Still
concerned? Yes • Collaboration: Working together with
colleagues from mental health and education
can help with using questionnaires, making
3.1 sense of difficulties and working out what
Consent to gather might be helpful.
information

3.2
• Prioritise relationships: Keep the
Using a questionnaire relationship with the child or young person
central to discussions and decision making
3.3
about next steps.
Feedback results

Still Yes
concerned?

4.
No
Onward referral

5.1
Maintain ongoing
support

5.2
Hold the hope

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 Section 5 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Section 5

What about you?

“You cannot wipe

art work and maybe even watch them interact with
others. Learning about their lives is likely to affect you

the tears off another's

as a compassionate fellow human. You may feel emo-
tionally moved by what the children and young people

face without getting

share and sometimes find yourself thinking about it in
the hours and days to come, even when you are not

your own hands wet.”

at work. This is understandable, normal and prob-
ably makes you well suited to your role. Sometimes
however, the impact is heavy and deep, it intrudes too
— Zulu proverb often, and can have a longer term negative impact on
you. Additionally, you may have your own experienc-
es of trauma, these might be similar experiences to
You might be tempted to skip this section and only those you are hearing about or bring them to mind in
bother with the sections concerned with children and ways that you may not have expected or anticipated.
young people. Try not to. Self-care is a professional
responsibility which is vital in helping these children In this section we will:
and young people. But it is also something you are
entitled to as a valued and valuable person. Research¹⁴ ∙ consider how your educational community
suggests that understanding more about wellbeing can create an environment that supports staff
and risks of vicarious trauma can go some way to pro- wellbeing and helps them recover
tect you from the longer-term negative impact of the
work and make you more aware of when you might ∙ explore what is normal wellbeing for you
benefit from additional support. Have we convinced
you to read on? ∙ invite you to identify your support network
When working with children and young peo-
ple seeking asylum you will likely be exposed to the ∙ outline some ideas if you find things become
stories of their traumatic experiences as they share more difficult for you
something of their lives, their feelings and thoughts
with you. You might also find out about their trauma ∙ highlight some of the personal strengths and
from their responses in creative activities, look at their growth that can come from this work.

36
 Section 5 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Culture of self-care look when you’re doing okay e.g., your mood, sleep,
Being part of a team that has an explicit culture of self- appetite, physical activity, social activity, concentra-
care is an important foundation of your wellbeing at tion, relationships, day-to-day life.
work. Senior leaders will be experienced at prioritising You could build this exercise into a team meeting
and valuing staff wellbeing so you can hopefully ben- and if you are all happy to, discuss some of your ideas
efit from a positive supportive organisational culture. together.
If this is not yet the case, a culture of self-care can be You are now better placed to notice when your
nurtured within smaller teams of like-minded workers wellbeing is affected. What might you notice?
who commit to doing what they can to support and
promote the wellbeing of each other. ∙ I’m not sleeping so well.
There are a range of approaches that might be ∙ I’m not bothered about socialising.
used to support staff wellbeing including supervision, ∙ I’m feeling overwhelmed by everyday tasks.
peer mentoring, wellbeing activities, reflective spaces
and staff training on this topic. But for any of these
things to be effective and create sustainable change Know your limits
the working environment also needs to be considered. When we are working with children and young peo-
Earlier on in the toolkit we introduced five principles ple who have significant needs it can be easy for our
that help create an environment for recovery for professional boundaries to slip. You may find you
children and young people who have experienced work longer and end up undertaking additional work
traumatic events. These principles will also be useful in your drive to help. As a one off you might be able to
to help you when you are working with traumatised manage this but working outside of your professional
children and young people. As a team, (or with se- role in the longer term can impact your wellbeing
lected peers) have a think about ways in which your and might compromise safe professional working. In
working environment can help staff feel safe, calm, spite of the frustration you might feel at the lack of
connected, in control and hopeful. resources and provision available to help children and
young people, it is important to know your role, both
the extent and the limits of it. Know what you can do
Wellbeing - What’s normal for you? and then do it as well as you can in the time you have
We all have individual responses to our work lives. available. Having boundaries in place doesn’t mean
Some of us may frequently carry some of the emo- placing a limit on your kindness but might protect your
tional impact from our work home with us, whilst wellbeing and enable you to keep doing your role. As
others may have clearer mental boundaries, such this toolkit has however illustrated, there are many
that work stays more at work and home stays more ordinary human things you can do that will be power-
at home. How all this impacts on our wellbeing will ful in supporting the recovery of children and young
be individual too. What good wellbeing looks like for people.
one person, may be quite different for another. Being But also consider when and where you need to
self-aware around what good wellbeing looks like for pass things on. Working alongside other professionals
you can be a good place to start. You can then iden- to share the load will help you manage better in the
tify what your own warning signs are when things are longer term, and can also help your wider organisa-
slipping, and you are not doing so well. tion reflect on an effective collective response. These
Think about what good wellbeing looks like for challenges cannot rest on the shoulders of any one
you across different parts of your life. You could write individual.
some notes identifying how some of these things

37
 Section 5 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Your support network you have become very low then you might then find
Before you consider who is good to support you when it really hard to find the motivation and energy to do
your wellbeing is low, consider who it is that notices those things.
when you are slipping. What do they notice? Having You might want to start by identifying a few
people who really know you and can spot when you’re brief ‘micro-holiday’ activities that just give you a few
not doing so well is really helpful; they may notice minutes of respite from working with trauma. You can
before you do. You might want to let them know how then draw on these when needed during your working
useful this is to you. day. Your ‘micro-holiday’ ideas might include: listening
You can then start to identify your support net- to one song that helps reset your emotions, looking
work or back up team, identifying those who look out out of the window at the sky for 30 seconds, applying
for you and play a supportive role when your wellbeing some hand cream, using something sensory that
is negatively impacted. These might be colleagues focuses your attention on the here and now.
that you work closely with and friends and family that But you will also want to build in some self-care
you spend time with outside work. activities that really give you a break from thinking
An effective back up team will have people that about your work. Effective strategies for our well-
play different supportive roles. Think about the roles being are as individual as we each are. Choosing
those in your support team fill. Is there a ‘cheerleader’ self-care strategies that work for you is important. If
who celebrates you? A ‘coach’ that motivates you? A we were to provide a list below, maybe none of them
buddy that is good to simply be around, even if you’re would be quite right for you, so finding things that are
not doing anything super special? Maybe your pet has in line with your values is often a better approach. This
a key role in giving you unconditional affection. You means finding self-care strategies that mean some-
could even add yourself to your back up team along thing to you and align with what is important to you.
with a commitment that you will be a good friend to So, if health is a priority value, then going to the
yourself. gym might be great for your self-care. If activism is a
Make a list of those who are in your back up value then volunteering with a local service might be
team. Don’t worry about how long or short your list is; enriching. If nature is important, then choosing activi-
quality is more important than quantity here. When ties that mean you can spend time outdoors might be
you look at that list, if it doesn’t meet your needs, really effective for you.
think about if there are some small changes you can List just a handful of meaningful activities and
make. Do you need to make time to reconnect with plan for how you can (and will) fit them into your life.
important friends and family or look for opportunities A five-minute approach can be helpful here, so
to grow your network? try giving something a go for 5 minutes. If after 5 min-
utes you want to stop, you can, but you might find that
after 5 minutes you are happy to carry on.

When your wellbeing is low

There are different ways your wellbeing can be im-
pacted from working with trauma. It might be that you
feel more stressed or anxious, you might experience
feeling low or depressed. Sometimes you can expe-
rience compassion fatigue, when you are exhausted
by the emotional aspect of the work. This can make
Self-care strategies for you it difficult to engage fully with your work as you are
Research¹⁵ tells us that building self-care into our ‘saturated’ by trauma and may find it difficult to con-
lives can help protect us from the risk of longer-term nect with the children and young people you usually
difficulties related to the work that we do. Some of support. When this is in the short term, use your net-
you may be really good at building self-care into your work of support and share with trusted colleagues. If
daily lives, whereas some of you might find it harder to the difficulties become severe or persistent you may
prioritise your own needs. You may tend to wait until benefit from accessing professional support from, for
your wellbeing is low before remembering the things example Education Support. It may also be helpful to
that are good for you. The problem with this is that if discuss this with your manager.

38
 Section 5 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Vicarious trauma If you relate to some of the reactions above, you

Vicarious trauma (sometimes called secondary trau- might want to use a questionnaire or screening tool to
ma) describes the uncommon but significant longer gather more information about your reactions. One
term negative impact on your own wellbeing from such tool is the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale
being exposed to the trauma of another. So rather designed for professionals working with traumatised
than experiencing some trauma reactions over a few people. Think about when and where you want to
days or a few weeks, these reactions don’t decrease fill this in and who you can discuss the results in an
in frequency for you. This would mean that you have informal way. If your results suggest you are expe-
trauma reactions, similar to those experienced by riencing vicarious trauma that is impacting your life,
children and young people with PTSD. You might find then consider what steps you can take to help reduce
things have changed and that you are now: the impact. This might include seeking professional
support using your GP or NHS mental health services.
∙ disrupted by intrusive thoughts or images of As well as drawing on the self-care strategies
the child’s trauma you identified earlier, that give you a break from your
∙ triggered by things related to the child’s work, there are some other things that can help. In
trauma the same way that offering a child or young person
∙ occupied trying NOT to think about their some time and space to express the memories,
trauma because it feels too distressing thoughts and feelings about their trauma is known
∙ experiencing a change in sleep patterns or bad to be an effective and supportive strategy, the same
dreams applies for the supporting adults. Find a trusted
∙ easily startled colleague who can listen as you put the emotional
∙ experiencing overwhelming emotions about distress you are carrying into words. Or try writing it
things you would usually manage down and getting it out of your head and on to a page.
∙ more anxious than normal Or even try talking to your dog, who maybe provides
∙ feeling low or depressed you with comfort, is pretty good company and is
∙ lacking motivation or energy to do the things often an excellent listener.
which usually give you pleasure or enjoyment
∙ withdrawing from people or places
∙ finding that the work has negatively coloured Vicarious resilience
the beliefs you hold about the world.
"I have felt so lucky to have taught Khalil
These are normal responses in the short term but if this year. His English has improved so
much but he’s also taught me SO much.
they persist for more than a month or so, and mark
I am amazed how he has adapted to a
a significant change for you, they might be becom- new country and culture. I couldn't do
ing more problematic and be considered vicarious that – he inspires me!"— Teacher
trauma.

Why does this happen? Working with those affected by trauma is hard. It
There are some risk factors for developing vicarious might have been part of what attracted you to your
trauma, the most significant one being the intensity current role or might have become a more unex-
of the trauma workload for you. So if most or all of pected part of your work. However, there is also the
your work is trauma related it is more likely that you possibility of personal growth as a result of this work.
may become overwhelmed by the level of exposure. This is known as vicarious resilience¹⁶. Stories of re-
You might also find that you are impacted heavily by silience can inspire you to want to continue to do this
the ongoing stressors for children and young people work. Witnessing the adaptability and resourceful-
seeking asylum and this frustration can make it hard ness of children and young people can motivate you
you to feel optimistic about their future. to reassess your own approaches to problem solving.
You might also find that your own experience Observing the hope which children and young people
of trauma can be triggered when working with other draw on to help them cope can positively influence
people’s traumatic experiences. Maybe you relate your own perspective on life and the world around
generally to traumatic experiences or maybe you have you. The benefits of vicarious resilience are seen to
your own refugee experience and identify very closely extend beyond your role or organisation to positively
with the children and young people you support. impact other areas of your life.

39
 Section 5 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Have you experienced positive personal growth from

the work and relationships you have with children and
young people seeking asylum? In what ways has your
work positively impacted you?

Make your own self-care plan

It can be useful to make some notes about how to
support your own wellbeing and what to do if you’re
worried as outlined above. You might want to do this
with your colleagues, or maybe you’d prefer to on your
own. You could use our self-care plan supplement
found later in this toolkit. (For other staff wellbeing
ideas look at the Anna Freud 5 Steps to Wellbeing for
staff resources or use NHS Education for Scotland’s
wellbeing planning tool.)

Self-care for you

∙ Know ‘your own normal’ wellbeing.

Section summary
∙ Identify your back up team.

∙ Identify effective self-care strategies and try to

build them in as preventative tools.

As an educational community ∙ Recognise if your wellbeing is being affected

severely and persistently.
∙ Commit to embedding the five principles for
recovery for staff as well as children and young ∙ To help you process the traumatic stories or
people. images that are on your mind, find someone to
talk to about them.
∙ Plan staff/team meetings that focus on
wellbeing. ∙ Consider using the Secondary Trauma Stress
Scale if you are worried about your wellbeing
∙ Offer psychoeducation about trauma, vicarious
trauma and vicarious resilience. ∙ Consider accessing specialist support if
vicarious trauma reactions persist for over a
∙ Plan for how to limit or reduce trauma workload month.
for team members whose work is heavily trauma
based. ∙ Identify ways in which you have been positively
impacted by working with children and young
∙ Set up reflective spaces for staff. people seeking asylum.

∙ Set up peer mentoring for staff.

∙ Provide access to mental health services for

affected staff.

40
 Section 6 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Section 6

OTHER INFORMATION AND

RESOURCES

Other UK Trauma Council resources Other sources of support

about children and young people and information
seeking asylum

Barnardos BOLOH helpline Advice → emotional,

therapeutic and practical support for those seeking
asylum.

Bear us in Mind → resources to provide adults

with early intervention tools for children and young
people affected by loss and bereavement following
experiences of war and conflict. Resources are
available in English, Ukrainian, Russian, Dari, Pashto
and Arabic.

Bell Foundation → EAL information and resources

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA,
for welcoming refugee and asylum seeking learners
MIGRATION & ASYLUM
supporting children.

British Red Cross | Afghanistan → Information and

For young people seeking asylum: support for people from Afghanistan settling into life
animation and resource → in the UK. Resources translated into Dari and Pashto.
Includes information on the Red Cross’ Family
Tracing service → videos about life in the UK, and
information on how to contact ARAP, the Afghan
See also UK Trauma Council resources Relocation Scheme →

British Red Cross | Help for Ukrainian nationals →

Information and support for people from Ukraine,
including the family migration visa and the Ukrainian
family scheme. Download ‘Advice for Ukrainians
arriving in the UK’ and ‘How to talk to children about
war’ in Ukrainian.

British Red Cross | Psychosocial support → A range

of resources, including TikTok videos to support
people with psychological and emotional issues. Many
are translated into multiple languages.
Childhood Trauma and the Brain →
Critical Incidents in Educational Communities → Children and War UK → Trains local adults in
Childhood Trauma and PTSD → supporting children and young people affected
Traumatic Bereavement → by war and conflict using proven trauma recovery
techniques.

41
 Section 6 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Coram Children’s Legal Centre | Immigration, Psychological Society of Ireland | Psychological

asylum and nationality → Legal casework advice, First Aid for Refugee Care: Helpful Do’s and Don’ts
assistance, and legal representation as well as a range (PDF) → A rapid response psychology tool for the
of free resources and online information on issues general public to assist the response to Ukrainian
affecting children subject to immigration control. refugees arriving in Ireland. Includes advice for
children and adolescents.
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress (WHO.
int) → A free stress management guide for coping Refugee Action → Refugee Action offers support
with adversity. The guide aims to equip people and information to help people with the basic support
with practical skills to help cope with stress. It has they need to build safe, happy and productive lives in
been translated into 19 languages, including Arabic, the UK.
Chinese, Dari, Farsi, and French.
Refugee Council | Children and young
European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies | people → The Refugee Council offers support to all
Helpful resources for mental help professionals separated children who arrive alone in England. They
and persons affected → A list of resources and with provide asylum and welfare support, help trafficked
links. children and those whose age has been disputed, as
well as provide mental health therapy. They offer a
Foundation 63 → evidence informed approaches for range of free resources for practitioners and refugees
the care of unaccompanied refugee minors. on their website.

GOV.UK | Welcome: a guide for arrivals to the UK The Rucksack Project → A book and accompanying
from Afghanistan on the locally employed staff resources for children from Ukraine.
relocation scheme → A guide for families arriving
under the ex-gratia scheme (EGS) and the Afghan Schools of Sanctuary → Part of City of Sanctuary
Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). Dari and UK. Includes a range of resources and guidance
Pashto translations available. on how to be accredited for your good practice in
fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion.
International Rescue Committee → Work in over 40
countries supporting those affected by humanitarian Scottish Government | Age assessment: practice
crises. Information, resources and support. guidance → A trauma informed guide to age
assessment. Appendix 4: Trauma-informed Age
Mental Health and Psycho Social Support network Assessments → covers applying the framework to
| Caring for Children through Conflict and the needs of separated asylum-seeking children.
Displacement → Resource translated in Ukrainian,
Russian, Polish and German. Additional relevant UNHCR → guidance on working with refugee
resources translated in multiple languages in the children struggling with stress and trauma.
resources section.
UNODC resources → (From University of
Mina Fazel’s Mental health toolbox → Video Manchester resources) in both written and audio
outlining a range of mental health therapy tools for formats to help caregivers looking after children
children for refugee and asylum seeking children. through conflict and displacement and buffer from
psychological harm (including multiple translations).
National Children’s Bureau | Supporting young
people leaving care with insecure immigration University of East London | Resources on refugee
status (PDF) → Research and evaluation paper & asylum-seeking children → Mental health
on four projects delivered by five organisations resources and guidelines on supporting asylum-
working with young people leaving care with insecure seeking and refugee children.
immigration status. The report also looks at the
impact of the pandemic on young people’s ability to University of Manchester | Information for adults
access support and the projects’ ability to deliver. looking after a child or children through conflict
and displacement → Two page leaflet developed
based on the experience of displaced Syrian parents
translated into Ukrainian, Russian, English, German
and Polish.

42
 Section 6 • CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Selected reading

For adults supporting children and young Books for or about children or young people
people seeking asylum who are seeking asylum

Rucksack by Di Redmond, Lilia Martynyuk and

A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Work with Asylum Prof. William Yule – a story about a Ukrainian child
Seekers and Refugees by Angelina Jalonen and Paul losing his possessions and trying to replace his
Cilia La Corte — written for a range of professionals memories.
including therapists and teachers, this guide offers a
person-centred framework for supporting refugees. Lift the flap – Questions and answers about
Refugees by Katie Daynes , Ashe de Sousa and Oksana
Helping your Child with Loss and Trauma Drachkovska ­— direct questions and thoughtful
by David Trickey — a self-help guide offering informed answers about living as a refugee (written with the
advice and step-by step ideas for parents and other Refugee Council).
adults supporting children after experiences of loss .
and trauma. A Refugee’s Story and When the War came
by Beyond Words – books in pictures — intended for
people with learning disabilities.

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson,

Omar Mohamed, Iman Geddy ­— a graphic novel about
two brothers living alone in a Kenyan refugee camp.

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Rauf — an

award winning story about a refugee boy joining his
new school.

For a comprehensive booklist see

http://arts.cityofsanctuary.org/resources/books →

43
 CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

My self-care plan
Working with children and young people affected by trauma
can be tough so it is vital to take care of your wellbeing.

Self awareness My limits

Good wellbeing for me looks like: What is my role?

What can I pass on to others?

Warning signs that my wellbeing is declining: Who else can help?

Micro-holiday ideas

1 | 2
 CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Values based self-care activities: Vicarious resilience

In what ways has my work positively

impacted me?

My support team

Who's there for me?

Things to note Additional help

Our wellbeing goes up and down from time to time. ∙ Speak to managers / leaders in your organisation
If you are worried about your wellbeing, use the people
and self-care ideas you've identified above to help ∙ Ask your GP for advice about mental health
support you. support

If your wellbeing remains low and is having a significant ∙ Use an employee assist service
impact on your day-to-day life, consider getting
additional help. ∙ Contact Samaritans 116 123

If it feels as though you may be experiencing vicarious ∙ Contact Education Support:

trauma and having some of the same trauma reactions www.educationsupport.org.uk
as those you work with, over a period of more than one 08000 562 561
month, consider seeking professional help.

2 | 2
 CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

Acknowledgements

The development of these resources has been a true team effort. We are Young people
very grateful for the support and guidance of our partner charities for this
project: the Nottingham Education Sanctuary Trust (NEST), Kent Refu- British Red Cross
gee Action Network (KRAN), St Mary’s Ukrainian School, Mellers Primary Young people from British Red
School, Nations of Migration awakening the Diaspora (NOMAD) and the Cross RnB projects Islington and
British Red Cross. We are also grateful for the expert advice from our advi- Croydon
sors in trauma practice and research on the UK Trauma Council, in particu-
lar our Co-Directors David Trickey and Prof. Eamon McCrory. KRAN
Thank you to the many professionals in education, mental health, (Kent Refugee Action Network)
community organisations and interpreters from across the UK. They Osama, Grmalem, Luwan,
shared with such passion the work they do, attended focus groups, con- Dunya, Rishan, Obaida, Shahab,
sultations and acted as our much needed critical friends providing such in- Djafarou, Kaker, Feven, Mhret,
sightful feedback on early drafts. It would not have been possible to create Yusuf, Doaa, Maya
these resources without their time, expertise and commitment. Nottingham Education
A final huge thank you to the children, young people and their car- Sanctuary Team (NEST)
egivers with whom we worked closely to co-produce these resources. Students of NEST
They brought their lived experience of seeking asylum in the UK from Af-
ghanistan, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Niger, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, St Mary’s Ukrainian School,
and Ukraine to help us. Their generosity, honesty and personal investment London
in the project enriched our learning beyond measure. It has been a pleasure Yaroslav, Nestor, Kateryna, Enei,
and privilege working with and getting to know them. Nikita
This portfolio of resources would not have been possible without the
generous funding provided by The National Lottery Community Fund and
the Orp Foundation, the support of Anna Freud and our members of the
UK Trauma Council. Professionals

A full list of all contributors is below. Anna Freud Schools’ Division

Monisha Jefcut, Ginny Kocik,
Vicky Saward, Amy Shelton,
Ali Sparkes
Arts Psychotherapist
Jess Gordon
Association of Colleges
Jen Hope
Baca charity
Clare Miles
Barham Pre-school
Shannon Bowditch
Bradford District Care NHS
Foundation Trust
Kelly Wolstenholme

46
 CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

British Red Cross Place2Be UK Trauma

Ember Hibbert, Katy Taylor- Fay Lee Council team
Gooby, Lorenzo Amorosino,
Reach Foundation
Ethelbert Eneremadu,
Katherine Richards-Bryant, Beck Ferrari
Camilla Nicole Bartelink
Rebecca Leuw Clinical Content Lead &
Cambridgeshire County Lead Author
Refuweegee, Glasgow
Council
Selina Hales Helen Butlin
Sarah Storey
Programme Manager
Roxton Church of England
Canterbury City Council
Academy Ruth Roberts
Janine Hodges
Kerry Cooper Senior Research Fellow
Coxheath Primary School
Salford City College Adelaide O’Mahony
Abigail Cheeseman,
Aminata Sow Resource Development
Sophie Grimley
Manager
Schools of Sanctuary
East Norfolk Sixth Form College
Megan Greenwood David Trickey, Eamon McCrory
Kayleigh Coulson
Co-Directors
St Mary’s Ukrainian School,
Family Trauma Team, Belfast
London Dušan Tomić
Hadya, Ibtisam
Inna Hryhorovych, Orysya Art Director
Kent County Council Novetska, Parents and staff
Liz Lee
Katherine Barry, Lisa Howell
University of Manchester Previous Portfolio Manager
KRAN (Kent Refugee Action Professor Emerita Rachel Calam
Network)
Young Roots
Jaweria Abdal, Razia Shariff,
Jo Cobley
Fawzia Worsley Special thanks to
our partners
Hull College
Tina Lynam
UK Trauma Council
Leeds City College
members
Olumide Ajulo
NEST (Nottingham Education Anna Freud, Schools’ Division
Sanctuary Team) Jaime Smith
Jude Clark, Edward Cornwall,
Anna Freud / UCL
Elizabeth Hilditch, Jess Paterson
Professor Rachel Hiller
and the rest of the staff at NEST
British Red Cross
Mellers Primary School
Dr Sarah Davidson
Parents and carers of Mellers
Primary School,M ichelle CORAM British Association of
Bramley, Amanda Dawson, Adoption and Fostering
Lorna Dermody, Aurélie Guinard, Dr John Simmonds
Jo Kervick, Fay Lee
Family Trauma Centre, Belfast
Millbrook Primary and Nursery Dr Elaine Harrison
School
Kings College London
Leanne Connelly, Vicky Paul
Dr Patrick Smith
NHS Education for Scotland
University of Glasgow
Sally Jowett
Dr Jala Rizeq
NOMAD (Nations of Migration
Awakening the Diaspora)
Asha Mohamed, Bonnie
Charlton

47
 CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MIGRATION & ASYLUM

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