The impetus for developing this monograph came from the conference, ‘The Refugee Convention: Where to from here?’, held at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in December 2001 under the auspice of the UNSW Refugee Research Centre, the Refugee Council of Australia and the Australian National Council of Refugee Women. While chapters derived from presentations to the conference form the core of this monograph, several that report related research have also been included.

An introductory chapter by Bruce provides an overview of the laws, policies and procedures that govern Australia’s response to refugees and asylum seekers. The chapters that follow are in two clusters, based on the immigration status of the particular refugee/asylum seeking communities that are the focus of concern. Many of the mental health issues identified in the monograph need to be considered within this legal context: particular challenges and constraints are associated with immigration status, and mental health issues vary accordingly.

The first cluster of four chapters addresses the plight of those who have sought asylum in Australia without having been assessed as refugees prior to their arrival. While the plight of these children has received intermittent media attention over the past eighteen months, the degree of harm that is being done to their mental health and general wellbeing is not widely understood. Raman and Goldfeld pull together a wide array of literature on the effects of detention on the physical and mental health of children. Chauvin writes about the psychological trauma to which children in detention have been exposed in the past, and argues that the conditions of detention itself constitute an ongoing source of trauma for these children.

The subsequent two chapters in this cluster are concerned with people who came to Australia as asylum seekers, but who are now living in the general community. Some have spent periods in detention before establishing the legitimacy of their claims for refugee status, and have subsequently been released and issued with three-year temporary protection visas. The enormous emotional strain of living in limbo with only the short-term reprieve offered by a temporary protection visa is revealed by Fernandes’ research.

The second cluster of chapters concerns people from war-torn backgrounds who have been granted the right to stay in Australia permanently. Two chapters deal with refugees from the continent of Africa, the first being Bruce’s contribution that provides an historical analysis of refugee-producing forces at work in the Horn of Africa, and identifies potential mental health implications for those who flee. An understanding of this background of trauma paves the way for the next chapter, McMichael’s piece on the overwhelming sadness of Somali refugee women who have settled in Melbourne, in which it is argued that the trauma of the past is compounded by new hardships encountered in resettlement.

The remaining chapters in the second cluster are concerned with a diverse range of ethnic communities who have permanent residence rights in Australia. Lingarn’s chapter provides insights into the complexities of the Burmese refugee community in Australia: a small community that, it is argued, is in danger of being overlooked by service providers, despite pressing needs for mental health care and other community services. Next, a substantial contribution is made by Ziaian, who has conducted extensive research on the experiences of Persian women who have left Iran for a ‘freer’ and more secure life in Australia. She provides nuanced insights into the psychological challenges associated with the women’s resettlement, as well as strategies they use to cope in their current circumstances.

Hafshejani’s chapter focuses on another group from the same part of the world: Iranian and Afghan men who, following exposure to war-related experiences in their countries of origin, now exhibit PTSD symptomatology. The final chapter by Zubovic attests to the healing power of song, as experienced and exemplified by the members of the Blue River Choir, a diverse group of refugee women from Bosnia.

Armed with the information contained within this monograph, mental health workers will be well prepared, not only to respond more appropriately to refugees and asylum seekers they encounter as clients/patients, but also to join the growing push for legislative and policy change that can promote mental health in a more positive way from the outset.

For further information contact the NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre on 02 9840 3800