Competencies in the work with Refugees

Introduction: Occupational therapy aims to engage individuals in valued occupations, thereby enhancing their health and wellbeing. Since refugees often experience occupational deprivation, it becomes evident that this group is... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction: Occupational therapy aims to engage individuals in valued occupations, thereby enhancing their health and wellbeing. Since refugees often experience occupational deprivation, it becomes evident that this group is of concern for occupational therapists. This study examines how occupational therapists in Germany can contribute to working with refugees, and focuses on typical competencies required in this field. Method: Qualitative content analysis was applied to interviews (transcribed verbatim) with seven participants (five women, two men) who were no occupational therapists and have a minimum work experience of three months with refugees. Results: Four categories were identified, comprising 25 competencies. These are related to refugees, colleagues and volunteers, the public sector and institutions, as well as to the interviewees themselves. Discussion: The identified competencies were compared with the European tuning-competencies, indicating that occupational therapists are able to work professionally with refugees, based on their set of competencies.