Are we listening? Insights from Australian social workers navigating discourse and practice tensions in refugee mental health

Abstract

This article explores social work practitioners’ experiences when working with Syrian and other refugees during resettlement using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) within a practitioner-researcher, action-oriented methodology and a deconstructive theoretical framework. This study gathered firsthand practice narratives and insights from seven social workers engaged in high-complexity-needs case management and therapeutic approaches with refugees in mental health service delivery, investigating the challenges and dominant systemic discourses that social work practitioners engage with when working cross-culturally. A finding from this study emphasised the importance of practitioners adopting a collectivist approach to understanding how refugees experience the resettlement process. The findings elaborate on the complexities social work practitioners face when working with refugees, deepening socially and culturally informed insights. This study provides an important and timely opportunity for practitioners and policymakers to better understand the challenges of navigating refugee mental health services. By considering the social worker participants’ experiences, we can enhance practices and policies to better meet the needs of refugees and promote responsive, critically informed practices.