Working with Interpreters
Laura Wilson
Refugee Council
01482 421120/ 07799664508
[email protected]
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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What will we cover
today?
o Why is this an important topic?
o Who we are supporting
o Interpreters
o Service Providers
o Service Users
o Alternatives
o Do and Do Not’s
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Why is this an
Important Topic?
o Victoria Climbie died on the 25th February 2000-
“Victoria’s life could have been saved if she had had
an interpreter.”
o Child H- Two year old child died in June 2013;
“…dismissal of child protection concerns on the
grounds of misunderstandings due to language
barriers.”
o Child A- Two month old Lithuanian girl died in Sept
2013 of severe non-accidental head injury.
o Child H- Three year old Somali boy murdered by his
Father in Dec 2013.
o All of these deaths could have been avoided if an
appropriate interpreter had been present.
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Supporting Refugees and
Asylum Seekers
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Good Practice:
Interpreters
o Impartiality
o Confidentiality
o Disclosure of any conflict of interests
o Intervene
o But it is your job as a service provider to
ask the right questions, brief and de-brief
the interpreter!
o How are we doing as service providers…
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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What do Interpreters
say?
Language is
not
simplified…
Not enough
time for
clarification
I am
praised
for the
work I do
They do their
best
No direct
translation and
no alternative
is offered…
Service User
often leaves
confused and I
feel responsible
I am not
qualified to
give the
kind of
advice I am
giving…
I feel
like I
am
helping
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Service Providers
o Statutory bodies have a legal obligation to:
- Provide language services
- Promote equal access to services
- Eliminate racial discrimination.
o Statutory bodies must ensure that language
services are efficient and effective:
- Allow enough time for interviews/
appointments
- Brief and de-brief Interpreters
- Work with professional, trained Interpreters
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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What do Service
Providers say?
There is not
enough time
for
appointments
Pressure
Most do
not
understand
Google
Translate
Some
Languages
are
unavailable
Bring a friend or
family member
with you…
If you keep
booking
interpreters
THEY will never
learn English!!!!!
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Perspectives from
Service Users
I am illiterate and
couldn’t understand
Google translate. It
spoke in a different
dialect.
It went really
well and the
Interpreter
helped me
and explained
things clearly.
Sometimes no
Interpreter is
booked and my
husband comes in
with me.
I waited for
two hours for
an interpreter
to come and
this was not
the first time. I
don’t feel my
time is
respected…
I was told there was
no interpreters and I
should bring a friend.
It was too personal so
I tried to explain in
English but couldn’t
understand them.
The Interpreter did
not speak good
English and we were
both confused!
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Requests from Service
Users…
o Give us enough time to explain (we know
you don’t have time!)
o Explain things a couple of different ways
to clarify understanding
o Don’t ask our family members to interpret
for us
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Google Translate
o Hosts 91 different languages
o There are around 6500 different
languages and dialects spoken worldwide
o 2000 in Africa alone!
o Some parts of the developing world;
literacy rates are below 30%
o Swahili example
o Example: let’s talk FGM…
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Do’s and Do Not’s
o DO NOT ask a child/family member/ other
service users to interpret.
o DO identify the language, dialect and country
of origin prior to booking the interpreteravoids wasting time and resources
o DO consider the age/ gender of the interpret
and judge whether this is appropriate
o DO Ask Questions before the appointment
o DO Brief and De-brief
o DO reflect
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Thank you very much for listening!
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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