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Recommendations

Click each section below to see the recommendations.

Ensuring a warm welcome for refugees and asylum seekers and continuing to build an even more inclusive and supportive community across Gloucestershire requires a system-wide response. The recommendations below have been divided into actions that the Public Health and Communities team will take forward, and those for wider system partners.

The Public Health and Communities team will:

  1. Improve the amount and quality of data currently collected, ensuring that future services are designed to meet the needs of all refugees and asylum seekers.
    • Collect more detailed data: Increase the data available for protected characteristics (like sex, religion, disability) and wider needs, such as language skills for all groups.
    • Qualitative data: Increase the collection of qualitative data, including personal experiences and opinions, specifically focusing on refugee and asylum seekers’ access to healthcare and other services. This will help provide a more nuanced understanding of needs that is required for developing future support and initiatives.
    • Improve record keeping: Set clear guidelines for information gathering to improve data quality and allowing for more effective data sharing between partner organisations.

  1. Continue to promote health and wellbeing, including:
    • Promote the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ as an evidence-based approach to improving overall wellbeing, through:
      • social connection
      • learning new skills
      • volunteering
      • mindfulness
      • physical activity.
    • Tailor healthy lifestyle services to be trauma-informed, focusing on mental health, and recognising the lifestyle differences in other countries.
    • Community resources: Building on the strong community networks we have in Gloucestershire, further develop opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers to access resources in the community for physical activity, social connection and community-based activities. 

  1. Further raise awareness of mental health needs, including:
    • Continue to raise awareness of the mental health needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
    • Continue to promote training: Work with healthcare professionals and volunteers to access and promote training in cultural responsiveness and psychological first aid.
    • Expand support for young people and explore options for additional support for female refugees and asylum seekers who may have a higher risk of mental health issues.
    • Combat stigma: Work with communities to proactively address stigma and barriers to integration. 

Recommendations to the System and Partners:

  1. Continue to improve access to health and social care, by working with NHS and social care providers locally to further promote culturally sensitive approaches to healthcare and improve cultural competence across the workforce, including an increase in language services and the opportunity to access these.

  1. Continue to offer refugees and asylum seekers vaccinations aligned with those provided to UK nationals, allowing them the same level of protection from communicable diseases and ensuring that they protect those around them.

  1. Recognising the pressures on the local housing supply, focus on creating innovative solutions to help address the growing demand for local accommodation, whilst balancing the needs of existing communities.

  1. Taking inspiration from the success stories listed in this report, build on existing awareness of local support networks and community groups for refugees and asylum seekers. Support and expand existing, strong local networks and encourage connections between organisations and the voluntary sector, celebrating good community cohesion.

  1. A mismatch in expectations and reality can cause frustrations and affect the wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers. Continue to manage expectations by:
    • Supporting refugees and asylum seekers’ cultural understanding and manage their expectations as soon as possible after arrival to help them adapt to life in the UK.
    • Make sure new arrivals receive appropriate information about societal and cultural norms.
    • Ensure they are given explanations about the support available and how to access it.

  1. Given their significant vulnerability, continue to ensure unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) are included in all offers of support and guidance, where applicable.

  1. Recognising the link between language proficiency and employment prospects, build on the following language and employment initiatives:
    • Language skills: Continue to recognise the central role of language skills in supporting refugees and asylum seekers to successfully integrate and contribute to their communities
    • Language opportunities: Continue to create language development opportunities and invest in ESOL classes.
    • Informal connections: Increase chances for informal conversation and connection alongside formal taught language options.
    • Early access: Ensure that access to ESOL classes and language support is offered to refugees and asylum seekers as soon as possible after arrival, building on the success of initiatives like STEP Ukraine.
    • Assess skills: Where appropriate, build on existing efforts to assess qualifications, skills and prior experience as a priority to ensure these are recognised or converted so that the refugee can gain meaningful work.
    • Employment opportunities: Continue to work with employers to increase volunteering opportunities and access to paid positions, and support integration into the workplace.
    • Setting up for success: Create more opportunities for those seeking asylum to prosper following a positive decision, including volunteering, language skills, and job application preparation.
    • Modern Slavery: Continue to raise awareness of the heightened risk to refugees and asylum seekers. Ensure reporting mechanisms work effectively and are shared widely.