When conflicts arise in their country of origin, individuals, families and communities can experience heightened stress that increases their vulnerability to a variety of difficulties and symptoms associated with their past traumatic experiences. These commonly include increased anxiety and fear about the safety of loved ones who remain in circumstances of danger, as well as increased symptoms triggered by reminders of the traumatic events that they have faced in the past.
The FASSTT network has released an information sheet for communities, educators and health professionals to understand the impact of international conflict on people who have experienced refugee-related trauma and how to respond.
The resource outlines common signs of trauma in adults, children and young people, how people can access urgent support if they are concerned about someone’s wellbeing, as well as details about the support FASSTT agencies can provide to communities across Australia and how to refer people to our services.