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Migrant mental health

Directorate: Mental Health

Client Age: All Age

Address: The Swan Centre, Norton Street, Coventry, CV1 5FY
Reception hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
Reception phone number: 07917 311835

Meet the Team

James Roche - Team Lead

Aula Meki - Clinical Lead

Kimberly Sham Ku - Principal Practitioner Psychologist

Surinder Nijjar - Therapist

Christina Dilworth - Therapist

Shazma Qadus - PA / Administrator & Data Quality Assistant

About us

The Refugee and Wellbeing service is commissioned to provide trauma informed talking therapies for individuals under The Afghan Resettlement Program (ARP), The UK Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (SPRS), Refugee's and Asylum Seekers in Coventry and Warwickshire who have experience traumatic events leading to relocating in the UK. We support individuals who have arrived in the UK within 5 years and are registered with a GP.

Our service offers Direct Therapeutic Interventions and consultation and training for professionals working with refugees.

Within the team there is a range of clinicians. The clinical offer is based on the assessment and therapeutic need of the individual, be that a child, young person or adult. Interventions include:

Group work
One-to-one therapeutic work

Services we provide

Individual work with children, young people or adults

If a referral is received by the service, you will be contacted to arrange an initial appointment. This appointment is known as comprehensive and holistic assessment, which recognises your physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing including assessing any risks to you or others. You will be asked about things that are currently difficult for you and experiences in the past that may have been difficult or distressing. We understand that it is difficult to talk about such experiences and that it takes time to develop a trusting relationship. It will be an opportunity to discuss your hopes and wishes for your present and future. You will not be asked to speak about anything that you do not want to discuss.

Group Sessions offers psychoeducation with the aim of creating safety, security and emotional stability. Group sessions will focus on, improving sleep, regulating emotions, understanding, and managing symptoms of trauma and anxiety, addressing current stressors, and managing any risk to self or others. The group may serve a preparatory function, with clients redirected to individual trauma-focused therapies where needed.

1:1 therapy session with one of our skilled professionals can help individuals to make sense of their experiences and things that may have happened to them or members of their family. To overcome trauma, low mood, stress, difficulties in adapting to life in the UK, grief and anxiety, as well as many other difficulties. The sessions can help you to think about planning for the future and any other services that might be able to support you.

Therapists are familiar with working with trained interpreters should this be required to help you to gain the most benefit from these appointments. Any concerns you have about interpreters can be discussed.

All information discussed with the service is confidential and will only be shared with other agencies if this is necessary for example if making a referral or if there are concerns about your safety. This would always be discussed with you first, where possible.

How to access

You can contact your GP who will gather information about your situation and based on this may complete a referral form which will be sent to the Refugee Wellbeing service. Alternatively, you may speak with a teacher at school, a member of staff at the family hub and they will be able to complete a referral form and again send this to the Refugee Wellbeing service.

With any of the therapies, these proposed interventions will be made clear, what the aims of the work are, the duration, mode of delivery, where meetings are held, explaining likelihood of improvement and recovery, what you can expect during the interventions, including: symptoms can seem to get worse temporarily and recovery is likely if one stays engaged in the treatment.

Persons who can access the Refugee and Wellbeing Service:

Individuals, children/young people struggling with the effects of migration-associated trauma (e.g. war, violence and torture, loss and adjustment)
Prioritisation for Refugees resettlement scheme (VPRS, UKRS)
Individuals seeking asylum or other forms of humanitarian protection (including those with a refused application)
Individuals with refugee status

Who can make a referral?

GP
NHS
Other agencies
Self-referral
Other's who are concerned about an individual

How to make a referral

A referral form can be requested by contacting us at migrantmentalhealth@covwarkpt.nhs.uk.

Adults:

Call 111 and select the mental health option

Children and young people:

Contact via The Navigation Hub - 0300 200 2021

Individuals / parents / legal guardians must consent for a referral.

For individuals who are expressing risk to self or others, a referral through 111, The Navigation Hub or Urgent Care Services would be more appropriate.

Training and Consultation

The Refugee Wellbeing Service provides a variety of training courses for professionals and VCSE's.

Available Training
Training	Description
Workshop 1: The Refugee Journey 2 hours	This focuses on global statistics, risks and vulnerabilities faced by people who have been forcibly displaced, the prevalence of trauma and issues associated with transitioning to the UK. Target audience: People who want to learn more about the challenges experienced by forcibly displaced people along their migration journey.
Workshop 2: Understanding Trauma 2 hours	This focuses on understanding how trauma affects the brain, common signs of trauma in children and adults, working in a culturally sensitive and trauma informed way and supporting disclosures of trauma. Target audience: People familiar with the refugee journey but want to learn about the neuroscience of trauma and how to recognise, and support people who have experience trauma.
Workshop 3: Skills for Supporting Refugees and Looking after ourselves 2 hours	This focuses on emotional overwhelm and the body's response, introduce low intensity psychological interventions for traumas, the idea of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and self-care. Target audience: People who want an introduction to strategies for managing distress and how to look after staff / self. It is recommended that you attend 'understanding trauma' first.
Working with interpreters 2 hours	This focuses on helping people to understand the relationship when working with interpreters and provide strategies for enhancing effective communication. This session is co-facilitated with a professional interpreter. Target Audience: People who work with interpreters.

To access any of these training courses or to find out more information please contact us at migrantmentalhealth@covwarkpt.nhs.uk

Consultation

The service also offers consultations to services supporting refugees and asylum seekers. To find out more information about this please contact migrantmentalhealth@covwarkpt.nhs.uk. Consultation aims to help you reflect on working with refugees and asylum seekers, support formulations, and think about culturally appropriate interventions and goals.