The book begins with a very good overview of the general health problems faced by those forced to migrate, and moves rapidly to focus on the specific health needs faced by refugee and asylum seekers in Australia. We begin to see this marginalised group as a vibrant resource to be nurtured, rather than one to be further excluded, persecuted and denigrated. This book provides us with timely and detailed health data which could be used to develop a rational refugee health policy. We are also given new data on the long-term effects of forced migration on the many children, accompanied and unaccompanied, who become caught up in these situations. We are asked to play a creative and healing role in this trauma cycle rather than exacerbating the damage.
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