Supporting the emotional wellbeing of refugee students in schools

Aimee Rolls, Trainee Educational Psychologist, Cognus Educational Psychology Service & UCL’s IOE

The session focuses on how school staff can support the emotional wellbeing of children with a refugee background using a psychosocial approach, looking at how we can:

  • Explore the strengths and needs of individual children with refugee backgrounds
  • Strengthen protective factors for refugee children, such as:
    • Supporting relationships with staff
    • Helping children build friendships with peers
    • Building relationships with the family and links with the community
    • Fostering a sense of school belonging

The training provides a space for reflection for staff to focus on these areas and how to draw on their experience to apply to the needs of children with refugee backgrounds in their setting.