After migration, many Syrians coming to Toronto face psychological challenges

In the weeks and months ahead, Ontario is expected to welcome 10,000refugees, many of whom will settle here in Toronto.

In the seriesCity of Sanctuary: How ready are we?we're looking at the obstacles to settling those families and whether we're up to the challenge.

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Many of the refugees who arrive here will have seen or experienced disturbing events.And the most significant psychological challenges aren't based on what has happened,but what lies ahead.

Dr.PriyaRajuand Dr. Debra Stein, child and adolescent psychiatrists in Toronto, have worked one-on-one with refugee families.They arealso co-leads ofthe migration consultation team at theHincks-DellcrestCentre, a mental health facility that serves people under 21.

"Often if the parents aren't doing well, that's when the children are doing poorly,"Rajusaid Wednesday in an interviewon CBC Radio'sMetro Morning.

"Alot of times adultsare more connected with the reasons for fleeing a country than the children are and so therefore the shock of the loss and the moving affects children differently than adults."

Rajusaid that while children are able to socialize and learn new language skills at school, parents may struggle with meeting the immediate needs of the family.

"Thethings that we really need to get ready right now are the basic supports. I think the most important things are going to be housing, employment, stable finances and really good school and community supports," said Stein. "I'm not sure we're there yet."

Support system needed

Even if the families arriving from another country aresuccessfully at solving problems without anypsychiatric help, Stein said there are concerns about post traumatic stress disorder or other traumas.

Both doctors stressed that if Ontario does not have the right support systemsin place, families may avoid seeking out the helptheyneed.

"It's not just about illness, diagnosis and individual treatment. It's really about family solutions to problems," Raju said."Mental health professionals need to think a bit more about their role as advocates, in termsof picking up the phone, calling a landlord, writing a letter around employment."

So as the psychiatrists await the flows of Syrians into Toronto, for now, the two are focused on education.

"Security and stability in the aftermath is the bottom line," said Stein. "It's really important."