TNAG-1185-FCO40-1487-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 150

support groups, and by employing staff to respond to individual and family crises. Under these arrangements, and in the absence of any other provision, they have assisted in:

(i) interpreting at court and in police investigations; Department of Health and Social Security and Department of Employment offices; and in hospitals and surgeries.

(ii) paying special attention to the unemployed 16-25 year olds who are particularly vulnerable;

(iii) ensuring that refugees understand such things as rent and rates demands;

(iv) providing advice about birth, marriage and death within British society, and offering support in bereavement and disappointment such as the refusal of family reunion applications;

(v) counselling families when a reunion is about to take place, monitoring the reunion and making alternative arrangements if the reunion breaks down;

(vi) investigating cases of child abuse;

(vii) providing mental health counselling within the limits of their training, counselling on marital stress, depression etc., and working with professionals in the mental health field;

(viii) helping with secondary settlement isolation is causing other problems.

where inadequate housing or

77. In their efforts in settlement the agencies have observed that two particular groups within the Vietnamese community, the young single people and the elderly, are particularly at risk. The young singles lack cultural norms and the structure and support of their own community which results in an experience of identity confusion. At the same time they feel a responsibility towards their families in Vietnam which they are unable to carry out. These, together with unrealistic expectations of the host society, lead to apathy and depression. They need support if they are not to become either socially deviant and/or apathetic and depressed. As regards the elderly, they find it hard to adjust and say this is no country in which to die.

Some are rejected by their families which, in their nuclear form, lack the resources to cope. Some have expressed a need for religious traditions to sustain them in life and prepare them for death. They need special care.

Conclusion

78. The Committee are agreed that the Vietnamese refugees in the UK will not be satisfactorily settled by 31 March 1983 (when the Government funding which has enabled the agencies to do a minimum in settlement is at present scheduled to end), and this view is firmly supported by the research studies so far available to us, including that by the Home Office Research and Planning Unit itself. Nevertheless, it has not been possible to identify or build up alternative systems of support for the Vietnamese. Despite the efforts of the agencies we have to say that so far no alternative systems of support have been established which could take over when central government funding is withdrawn.

18.

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