Reference no: EM133350705

38-year-old male Syrian Refugee [Aman] with diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and hearing loss.

Personal:

Aman is struggling to provide for his family. He is a graduate of an engineering program from Syria and worked a comfortable life as a building inspector. Since migrating to Canada, he has been unable to secure employment in his chosen field and is precariously employed at several part time general labour jobs to make ends meet. Aman does not get to spend time with his family doing the things they used to enjoy like playing soccer on Sundays at the park. Aman has been trying to locate family he was separated from during the conflict and hopes to sponsor his mother to live with him in Canada, however, with his current employment situation cannot afford the immigration application.

Medical:

Aman was recently diagnosed with PTSD relating to his experiences fleeing the war in Syria. Aman witnessed his brother, a childhood friend and countless neighbours killed after his apartment was hit by a bomb during the fighting - Aman, his wife and two children managed to escape. As a result of the bombing, Aman suffered total hearing loss in his right ear and partial hearing loss in his left ear. Aman has vivid memories of this attack and often wakes up in cold sweats in the middle of the night. Aman has grappled with survivors' guilt after he and his family was chosen as part of a lottery system through the UNHCR to relocate to Toronto, Ontario Canada in 2016. Aman's wife miscarried a week following the attack and Aman's 3-year-old son was badly injured in his left leg.

Social:

Aman's son who suffered a leg injury in the attacks had to have his leg amputated due to infection and now uses a wheelchair. Aman and his family currently live in a small two bedroom apartment on the third floor. The building is aging and does not have a working elevator. Aman has been trying to move his family to a different apartment that can accommodate a wheelchair including elevator access, however, housing lists are lengthy even with an urgent request by the hospital social worker. Currently Aman has to carry his son and wheelchair up three flights of stairs to their apartment.

Settlement Worker:

You are meeting with Aman at an Employment Agency to support him in finding a job in the engineering field. Aman has verbalized in the past that he is frustrated at the process and just wants to start working "real money" to support his family. After you ask him to revise his cover letter he lashes out at you and is visually irritated.

Case Study Questions:

1. Could trauma have impacted Aman's behaviour? If so, how?

2. What strategy or intervention would you use to support Aman?

3. One of your co-worker's witnesses Aman's behaviour and says to you afterwards, "that client was so inappropriate, no wonder he cannot find a job." How could you re-frame this encounter with Aman that would support a trauma informed approach?

4. Reflecting on your agency's practices in practicum - what are some small changes that can be made that would better reflect a trauma informed care approach / practice (3-5 changes)?

5. Comment on how you can apply cultural competence in your work with Aman.