{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/67c5d757b48a8f157c1f9076/6a7d8ba751319a521dee2c69?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Staff Exposed to Asylum Seekers' Traumatic Stories at Risk of Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia - 13/08/2026","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/67c5d757b48a8f157c1f9076/1786609751500-efd818b4-5352-4256-8424-c7a436db1054.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>Staff processing asylum applications are at risk of anxiety, depression and insomnia due to exposure to traumatic personal stories and graphic material.</p><p><br></p><p>A formal risk assessment at the International Protection Office found staff could experience emotional distress and “empathy fatigue” because of the nature of their work.</p><p><br></p><p>It warned psychological injuries could build over time or result from a single exposure to particularly disturbing material. Staff can encounter traumatic content while interviewing applicants, reading case files or viewing images.</p><p><br></p><p>Measures to protect employees include rotating them away from sensitive material and taking account of the number and type of cases they handle.</p><p><br></p><p>We heard more about this on The Agenda this morning. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","author_name":"lmfm "}