Working with Interpreters in Child Mental Health

A consensus exists about the importance of interpreters for refugee and immigrant patients presenting with mental health problems. However, beyond this consensus, the specificities of working with interpreters in child mental health are barely mentioned in the literature.

This paper describes some of the challenges associated with working with interpreters for the diagnosis of child psychiatric disorders and for intervention in situations of family crisis.

There is a need to develop appropriate training programs for interpreters and clinicians involved in child mental health. These programs should be evaluated and incorporated into existing practice guidelines in order to equip clinicians working with children and young people in multicultural communities.