Disabled Refugees
ICAR / Metropolitan Support Trust Report Supporting disabled refugees and asylum seekers: opportunities for new approaches.
Research released by the information Centre about Asylum and Refugees (ICAR) at City University London and Refugee Support / Metropolitan Support Trust (MST) has found that disabled refugees and asylum seekers in London are not receiving enough support from mainstream disability organisations, a number of whom are unclear about the rights and entitlements of these groups.
The research titled 'Supporting disabled refugees and asylum seekers: opportunities for new approaches', was commissioned by MST to examine the role of refugee community and mainstream disability organisations in supporting refugees and asylum seekers in London. The project focused on physical and sensory impairment because apart from mental health, there is a significant lack of research on disabled asylum seekers and refugees in the UK.
Asylum seekers in particular encountered the most barriers in accessing statutory services for health, housing and benefits. The barriers include language issues such as a lack of interpreters in doctors' surgeries and provision for the deaf and blind; and additional disadvantages experienced by women, such as addressing sensitive issues with GPs or dependence on husbands who, as the main asylum applicant, they rely on to resolve their status in the UK.
Neil Amas, Director of ICAR says: "The research shows there is a considerable support gap between the specialist refugee sector and mainstream disability sector. While Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) play a huge role, their sources are overstretched so do not meet the needs of disabled asylum seekers and refugees."
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Last Updated: 25/02/09
