Mental Health Advice for Professionals Supporting Asylum Seekers
Someone needs urgent help now…
- If you feel there is an immediate risk to someone’s life or if you feel they have harmed themselves already, you should call 999.
- You can support the person to go to the nearest A&E department if they’ve already hurt themselves
- You can call 111 for urgent mental health support on behalf of someone else or click “Crisis Support” from the options below to tell you more about your local crisis teams and their contact numbers.
What is mental health and how to support someone struggling?
This page is designed for professionals to provide information, appropriate signposts and support organisations to help ensure increased mental wellbeing in asylum seekers.
Mental health is a person’s state of wellbeing and how they feel in their mind, whereas mental illnesses are common mental health problems that can be diagnosed. These can cause changes in thinking, emotions, behaviours and a person’s ability to function and cope. Some common mental illnesses include:
Feeling constantly sad and losing interest or motivation in things, which can stop you doing your normal activities.
Feeling a sense of fear or dread which can lead to physical reactions in your body such as increased heartrate or feeling tense or restless.
Experiencing uncontrollable repeating thoughts that something bad will happen and feeling compelled to do repetitive behaviours.
Can happen after a distressing event and can cause anxiety, flashbacks/nightmares and uncontrollable thoughts.
There are also other mental illnesses such as specific phobias, personality disorder, bipolar or schizophrenia, but these are often less common.
There’s lots of research suggesting refugees and asylum seekers have high and persistent rates of PTSD, anxiety and depression. Most asylum seekers have experienced trauma, fear and loss and this can be further exacerbated when they are waiting for a decision on their asylum case.
Transitioning to the UK can be an incredibly stressful time. This period of uncertainty in combination with the experiences they have had whilst leaving their home country can feel incredibly frightening. During this time, they may feel understandably stressed, anxious or worried, they may struggle to sleep, lack energy or be emotional at times. This is natural in these circumstances, but it is important to monitor, and support them when they are ready, in case they start to feel worse.
It is important to recognise that being able to talk about how individuals feel mentally is a challenging step and there may be many barriers for someone to be able to reach out for support. It’s important to note that sharing and speaking about what they are going through does not have to be just talking to a professional – friends, family, professionals working with them or other community members who have been through a similar experience can also be a good source of emotional support.
Overall, the UK has a supportive attitude towards mental health, there’s lots of support available for addressing mental health and mental illnesses, involving a mix of different laws, healthcare services, societal attitudes, and support structures. But it’s important to remember this may be very different to a person’s home country.
Cultural norms and values can shape a person’s understanding of mental health and can impact the likelihood of talking to others about how they feel, or the likelihood of seeking help.
It is therefore important to be mindful that some countries do not openly discuss mental health or even have the language and words for things like “mental health” or “trauma” as in certain places or cultures mental health is not spoken about. Meaning conventional methods of therapy may not most suitably fit the person’s needs and conversations around the persons mental health might be difficult and it’s important to be mindful of this.
Additionally, while views on mental health and mental health stigma have somewhat developed in the west in the past decade, some people or cultures still view mental health difficulties as embarrassing and shameful. Different perspectives and religious views can result in opinions that people experiencing mental health issues are “crazy” and people can be very fearful of being locked up in institutions like mental asylums.
It’s very important to emphasise that this is not the stance of the UK, however negative views of family members and the perception of appearing “weak” and may further contribute to them being less accepting of mental health care or support.
While for many people in the UK, support from family and friends may be helpful, however it is vital to note that in cases where the person’s support network are not understanding or accepting, it can cause isolation and result in the person feeling worse.
Therefore depending on the person’s experiences, it might be best to suggest the use of helplines and other professional support organisations instead, as this can make people feel more comfortable when they can share their feelings without judgement.
While this page is to help professionals supporting those struggling with their mental health, it’s also important to note that vicarious trauma is prominent in those trying to help and support them. Vicarious trauma is where a helper’s wellbeing is impacted by working or volunteering with traumatised individuals. They can experience vicarious trauma as a result of empathically resonating with what those they have helped have told you about their experiences.
Therefore, while this page has been created with the purpose to help you support those people struggling mentally, many of these resources may also be used for yourself, if you resonate with anything discussed. You can find a helpful guide explaining vicarious trauma and tips and tricks to combat it in your work by clicking on the button below.
Professional Help
If you are working with someone who may benefit from professional mental health support they may have been struggling with symptoms for a few weeks or more. If this is affecting their daily life, then you can support them to make an appointment to speak to their GP, advice is also available on the NHS website. There are also a number of self-help resources below as well as support organisations, and their helplines that the person can contact for help or you can ask for advice. These are often a useful resource but they are particularly helpful if formal mental health support is not yet wanted by the person.
In the Northeast, there are many services that offer help and support in the form of talking therapies. An individual’s GP can direct them to which services are available for their area. Referrals can often be made to these services via the person’s GP, or you may be able to assist the person in making a referral, some services will also allow you to make the referral on a person’s behalf, as a professional working with them.
There may be a wait for these services as due to demand they can’t always offer immediate support and there may be a significant wait. All services should have translators available, but if a translator is needed the person will need to tell the service before their first appointment.
Below you will find a list of all the primary care talking therapy services in the northeast:
What might people need to know to expect from these services?
For these services, people accessing help will usually have an initial assessment call with a mental health professional to discuss how they have been feeling recently. This will usually look at symptoms, historic events, and past experiences and also what they are struggling with currently. They may be asked to complete some questionnaires before discussing different treatment sessions. These can take many different forms but can include online programmes to complete, groups to attend as well as one-to-one sessions delivered in a number of ways. It’s important to inform the person that they should ask questions on anything they don’t understand and to inform them that they should book a translator prior to the appointment, by informing the service, if they need one.
It also may be worth making clear that anything tell a mental health professional will usually be kept confidential. The service might want to share some information with their GP but they will ask permission to do this. There are limits to confidentiality of course so if the person discloses anything that concerns their safety or the safety of another person then information may have to be shared, this is usually done to their GP, a supportive family member or appropriate professionals working with the person.
Crisis Support
If you are working with an individual who is experiencing a mental health crisis you can pass on the details for their local Crisis team. This is usually for people who need urgent, more immediate mental health care, often when people are unable to keep themselves safe from suicidal thoughts, or they could be experiencing visual or auditory hallucinations, known as psychosis.
Crisis services usually involve a team of experienced mental health staff, which includes nurses, social workers, psychiatrists and pharmacy staff. They offer assessment and home treatment for people over 16 experiencing a mental health crisis, often as an alternative to staying in hospital.
While these services are often 24 hours a day, and offer more immediate support, they are often not as quick as an ambulance so if you have concerns of an immediate danger to a persons life, you should call 999.
Contact details for crisis teams across the North East can be found below:
New support number from 111
There has now been a new pathway to access mental health support by calling NHS 111 and selecting option 2 for urgent mental health support, you can do this on behalf of yourself or for someone else if you would like support or advice. This new option is free to call, and is available for anyone of any age, all over the UK. The number changed as a result of some people experiencing a mental health crisis not knowing which number to call for their region or who to turn to for help. Having one national single point of access makes it simpler for people to find the right support in a mental health crisis.
The call will be answered by a mental health advisor, who are supported and supervised by trained mental health clinicians. They work within crisis services and will provide reassurance and make sure you are directed to the most appropriate professional or service. They can:
- Support you with self-care advice
- Transfer callers to the crisis teams for triage and assessment, if this is needed
- Refer to primary care services for further support, e.g. your GP
- Refer to community services that are alternatives to crisis, e.g. the voluntary sector
- Contact 999, if there is a risk to the persons life
The NHS trust in this area is the Tees, Eask and Wear Valley Trust (often called TEWV). They cover County Durham, Darlington, Teesside and more.
Their emergency mental health team is called the Crisis Resolution and Intensive Home Treatment Team (it may be called CRHT). For urgent mental health care in this region: Telephone: 0800 0516 171
The NHS trust in this area is the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust (often called CNTW). They cover Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Northumberland, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. Their emergency mental health team is called the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team. The contact numbers below are for each individual area.
- Newcastle and Gateshead:
- Telephone: 0191 814 8899 or freephone 0800 652 2863.
- Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties: 07919 228 548
- Sunderland and South Tyneside:
- Telephone: 0303 123 1145 or freephone 0800 652 2867.
- Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties: 07889 036 280
- Northumberland and North Tynes
- Telephone: 0303 123 1146 or freephone 0800 652 2861.
- Text number for people who are Deaf and/or have communication difficulties: 07887 625 277
Helplines and Support Organisations
Mental Health Resources
There are lots of different national and regional support helplines or support groups that individuals can access if they are struggling with their mental health. Each organisation will work differently and may offer different levels of support.
How can they help?
Samaritans provide confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair through their 24 hour helpline.
Contact Details:
Call for free on: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website
How can they help?
ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend, peer-to-peer support groups. They offer confidential, face-to-face groups aiming to get men talking.
Contact Details:
How can they help?
Advice and emotional support for asylum seekers, Monday- Friday (10am-8pm) and Saturday (10am-3pm) via telephone or Webchat. Barnardo’s also offer 8 free therapy sessions, either via telephone or online. Sessions can take place in your own language at a time that works for you.
Contact Details:
Call: 0800 151 2605
Email: boloh.helpline@barnardos.org.uk
Website
How can they help?
Shout offer a free 24/7, confidential, text line for mental health support. They aim to offer a more accessible way to get people talking and allow people to not feel as alone.
Contact Details:
Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258
Website
How can they help?
PAPYRUS is the national UK charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. It aims to support young people, and those worried about them, from the risk of suicide.
Contact Details:
Call Papyrus: 0800 068 414
Text: 07786 209697
Website
How can they help?
They help people and provide therapy for complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and other problems caused by torture. They also provide creative and group activities, including cooking, music, art and gardening.
Contact Details:
How can they help?
Supportline offer confidential, phoneline support to anyone, on any issue. They provide a preventive service before people reach the point of crisis and are open to children and adults.
Contact Details:
Call: 01708 76200 Email: info@supportline.org.uk
Website
How can they help?
Cruse provide bereavement support for all those experiencing grief ensuring they get the support they need.
Contact Details:
Call: 0808 808 1677
Website
How can they help?
The Hub of Hope is a directory of mental health support and services across the UK. They help people find the guidance they need and access to relevant help and support networks.
Contact Details:
Barnardo’s Support
In addition to the Boloh helpline above, Barnardo’s also have specific support for families arriving in the UK from Afghanistan. The site has information, advice and guidance on staying safe, healthy and the support available. You can access it by clicking the button below.
Op COURAGE
Op COURAGE are a service that supports veterans with their mental health. This service provides specialist care and support for those due to leave the armed forces, reservists and those who’ve already left, it was developed by veterans, for people that have worked in or alongside the armed forces. Their support is open to Afghans under the ARAP scheme.
Op COURAGE is delivered by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with lots of other NHS trusts and organisations and although is North East based, the service is available across England. Veterans can self-refer, or be referred by a family member, a third sector organisation or their GP and the service is available 8am-8pm, 7 days a week.
Tel: 0300 373 33 32 Email: OpCourageNORTH@cntw.nhs.uk
Make Every Contact Count (MECC)
If there is a service that you feel that you would benefit from but it has not been mentioned you may want to visit the MECC Gateway. The MECC Gateway is a health and wellbeing conversation and signposting tool allowing health information, community activities and services to be shared across the North-East and North Cumbria. It can be used for both adult and young people’s services and can be accessed via the button below.
Additional Resources
Sometimes people may be struggling with how they feel due to something else that has happened in their life and other contributing factors such as the safety from those around them, their drug or alcohol content or eating habits as all of these things can contribute to worsening mental health.
For women in Tyneside and Northumberland who need to talk to someone about rape or sexual abuse. Their helpline is available Monday-Thursday 6pm-8.30pm.
Call: 0800 035 2794
Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre offering counselling and advice in Darlington and County Durham. Their emotional support helpline is available: 6.30pm-8.30pm on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s and 10am-12pm on Wednesday’s, Thursday’s and Saturday’s.
Call: 0300 222 5730
Email: support@rsacc-thecentre.org.uk
Website
ARCH Teesside is a specialist sexual violence service offering free and confidential support, help and advocacy to people in the Teesside area who have experienced rape and sexual abuse, at any point in their lives.
Call: 01642 822331
Website
To provide support for families and individuals affected by domestic abuse across the North East. Their helpline is available 24 hours.
Call: 0300 020 2525
Email: info@myharbour.org.uk
Website
For those in County Durham, Tyne and Wear and South Northumberland, they provide help, support, counselling and mentoring for individuals and families with substance and other process addictions, mental health issues, and other neurodiverse conditions.
Call: 0300 330 3040
Email: info@addictionsnortheast.com
Website
a national charity for people experiencing homelessness, addiction, sexual violence and abuse and a range of other problems. They offer specialist services for women, young people and families.
Call: 0191 273 8891
Email: central.office@changing-lives.org.uk
Website
Humankind offers services covering drugs and alcohol, clinical services, housing related support, housing, employment, training and education, health and well-being, children, young people and families, women, criminal justice and community and offender rehabilitation.
Call: 01325 731160
Email:info@humankindcharity.org.uk
Website
BEAT are an eating disorders charity with a vision to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders. It offers both an adult helpline and a youth helpline, parents, teachers or concerned adults should call the adult helpline.
Adult helpline number: 0808 801 0677
Email: help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Youthline (under 18): 0808 801 0711
Email: fyp@beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Website
A national LGBTQIA+ support line. For anyone, anywhere in the country, at any point in their journey. We can discuss anything related to sexuality and gender identity. Whether it’s sexual health, relationships or just the way you’re feeling.
Call: 08000 119100 (10am-10pm every day)
Website
Self-Help Resources
When individuals are struggling with their mental health there are still things they can do to try to help themselves feel better, either before treatment or whilst waiting for therapy. There are lots of small changes that can be made to try to improve their overall wellbeing and to hopefully prevent their mental health from deteriorating further.
There are also some helpful tips within our welcome resources, you can find the health one’s translated into different languages, for you to signpost the individual to, here.
Welcome to the UK Resource Tips:
Our welcome resources advise the asylum seekers to not remain isolated or inactive whilst waiting for their decision, as this can often make them feel worse without noticing it.
The following tips below were written by people with lived experience to encourage new arrivals to remain active and protect their emotional wellbeing. Although asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK, they can still pass the time meaningfully and positively and encouraging them to volunteer or remain active will keep them feeling stronger and adequately supported mentally.
Encourage people to be proactive and take action by:
- Connecting to other people— encourage them not to sit in their room alone, inform them of local drop ins for asylum seekers, or community groups that speak their language in order to meet others. Their Mears Welfare Officer should have this information.
- Getting involved in activities – many local community groups run a range of activities which can keep individuals active and learning new things. After 6 months they will be eligible to study some courses for free at a local college. They can also volunteer to provide UK experience and help towards future employment.
- Being active— Not only will it be beneficial for the individuals overall health but being active is a great way to keep people busy and boost their mental wellbeing also. Any movement is good movement – running, walking, dancing, jogging, swimming, playing football or doing housework.
Solace UK Resources
Solace UK have also generated lots of mental health resources for refugees and asylum seekers. They feature videos in multiple different languages and are on coping with stress, the refugee experience, relaxation techniques and dealing with anxiety and lack of confidence. They can be accessed here.
Solace also provide two free e-learning courses, one is a generic course that focuses on understanding refugee and asylum seeker mental health. The other is more specialist looking at effective therapeutic support. You can access the courses here.
Mental Health Foundation Resources
Mental Health Foundation have created a video featuring asylum seekers that have shared their experiences of living in a hotel long-term in Scotland, how this has affected their mental health, and tips and advice for coping. This short documentary was co-produced as part of the Mental Health Foundation’s Weaving Threads for Wellbeing programme in Glasgow. The video can be accessed by clicking here.
The Mental Health Foundation also have refugee programmes for Scotland and Wales but they also have lots of specific mental health resources for refugees and asylum seekers that can be accessed here.
Mental Health Foundation have also created a report that presents evidence on the economic, social, and cultural circumstances which asylum seekers and refugees who seek sanctuary in the UK can face, and how these experiences can harm their mental health and even lead to suicidal feelings and actions have also generated lots of mental health resources for refugees and asylum seekers.
The report looks at the role of government and the social and economic conditions in which refugees and asylum seekers live, not just pre migration but also post-migration which have a powerful influence on their mental health. Experiences of poverty, financial insecurity, unemployment, lack of adequate housing, social isolation, loneliness, prejudice, stigma, and discrimination are all wider determinants of mental health that need to be addressed. The report can be accessed below by clicking the button.
Other Self-Help Resources for Mental Health:
There are lots of resources below that you can signpost refugees and asylum seekers to. The information is featured in many different formats, such as leaflets, posters, videos and top tips, in a number of different languages to allow people to work through the materials in their own time.
The aim of these materials is to help and understand their mental state, to monitor how they are feeling and to boost their wellbeing to offer the best chances of success.
Children’s Mental Health Support
Professional Support
Children’s mental health support works slightly differently to adult services and self-referrals from family members are not generally accepted.
Referrals can take place either from any professional working with a child, young person or their family, so this could be a social worker, the child’s GP or school.
The team that works with mental health and wellbeing for under 18’s is called the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Their contact numbers for the two North East NHS trusts are:
- Tees Esk Wear Valley (TEWV): Contact number: 0300 013 2000. Including County Durham, Darlington, Teesside and North Yorkshire.
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW): Contact number- 01228 603 017. Including Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Northumberland and North and South Tyneside.
DHSC guidance
DHSC guidance on improving the mental health of babies, children and young people has been released This framework explicitly references refugees and asylum seekers and can be used by stakeholders to guide promotion and prevention activities. It details modifiable factors where there is scope to intervene to create the conditions that help keep children and young people mentally well.
Support from Voluntary Organisations:
- Anna Freud: providing assessments and therapeutic help for a variety of emotional and psychological problems up to the age of 25. Call: 02077 942313 Email: info@annafrued.org Website
- Muslim youth helpline (MYH): The helpline is open from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM, 365 days a year. Call: 0808 808 2008 Website
- Barnardo’s family helpline: Offering free therapeutic support for children and young people under the age of 21 on the Ukraine and Afghanistan pathways who are living in England: Call: 080815 69877 Website Email: RefugeeFamilyHelpline@barnardos.org.uk
- UK trauma council resources: Free resources to help children and young people affected by war, migration and asylum: Website
Barnardo’s Afghan Virtual Youth Space
Barnardo’s also offer a Virtual Youth Space, held 6-7pm on the 1st Monday of every month for young people from Afghanistan aged 10-17. For more details about the virtual youth space, click the button below.
