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World Refugee Awareness Month

June was first declared as World Refugee Awareness Month in 2001. Since then, June has been a time to acknowledge strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees who live around the globe. Refugee children and their families must deal with past traumatic experiences while integrating into a new and unfamiliar society. They must look for safety in an unknown culture, and ask for help in a nonnative language. These children and families have experienced war-related trauma and disruption, as well as resettlement, poverty, unemployment, stigmatization, and bias.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has compiled a list of helpful resources for parents and caregivers, children, mental health providers, child welfare and juvenile justice professionals, healthcare providers, educators and school staff, and policy makers.

A list of external resources related to World Refugee Awareness Month is available here.

NCTSN Resource

Understanding Refugee Trauma: For School Personnel

Type: Fact Sheet

Outlines different considerations that school personnel need to take into account when working with refugee youth and their families. This fact sheet describes the school, classroom, individual, and family considerations that school staff should understand when working with this population.

NCTSN Resource

Children of War: A Video for Educators

Type: Video

Includes a segment from the play Children of War and a documentary about the scope and impact of refugee trauma and its consequences for youth in schools.

NCTSN Resource

Children of War: A Video for Educators Resource Guide

Type: Resource Guide

Accompanies the Children of War video and includes discussion questions, suggestions about ways schools and teachers can help refugee students and families, and provides information on the effects of traumatic stress on school performance.

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