Here, you can find a list of tools and strategies that can help practitioners to navigate communication barriers.  

During important appointments or meetings - for example, those related to health or legal issues - it is advised that every effort should be made to use an interpreter and to always avoid using children from the family in this role. It is, of course, also important to think about a person's privacy and the sensitivity of the topic of the communication when using any family member as an interpreter, and practitioners should always check organisational guidelines relating to interpretation. 

The suggestions made below are based on what practitioners and migrant families told us they found particularly helpful when they assess that a situation does not require an interpreter, or when an interpreter cannot be accessed. 

Phone Apps

Practitioners and families often use specific phone or computer apps to help them to read information, or to communicate with people, in different languages. However, it is important to note that the apps are not able to translate all languages, that some people are unable to read words in their own language and that, whilst some are free to access, others have a small cost. 

Below are apps that participants told us were helpful, and assisted communication: 

• • Google Translate.

  • Google Translate's WordLens.

  • itranslate.

There are also additional strategies - some non-verbal - that practitioners can use to help facilitate communication:

• • Speak slowly, use simple words and try to soften regional accents, slang or idioms. 

  • Try and make sure that you have enough time to meet with the person, and find a calm and private space to talk. 

  • Visual tools can be helpful, for example, timelines, printed pictures etc.

  • Have information sheets translated into some of the most common languages spoken in your community, and try and supplement the written word with pictures. You should, however, keep in mind that some people might not be able to read their own language.

  • When possible, avoid telephone conversations, and always try to arrange face-to-face communication.

  • Visual expression is really important and can make people feel welcome and safe. This includes smiling, keeping eye contact and trying to keep you voice calm and low.

  • Use gestures to help you communicate.

  • Consider cultural and national differences in knowledge and understanding about services. You are not going to know about every culture or nation, but try to be sensitive and mindful that there might also be differences in understanding certain words or gestures.

  • Sometimes translating information or using interpreters is not enough, because understandings may be based on something beyond language. 

Also see working with people with different national and cultural backgrounds. 

What will you gain from using these resources?

The information and case studies can be used by an individual, or to facilitate a group exercise for a team of practitioners.  

They have been developed to give you, or your team, an opportunity to:

• Reflect on the communication barriers identified by practitioners and people with migrant backgrounds in our study.

• Consider if and why these issues are relevant to your profession and the community in which you work. 

• Explore why facilitating effective communication is important.

• Consider the strategies, tools, and information available to support effective communication between people that do not share a first language.

• Apply the knowledge and skills that you already have, and anything new you have learnt, to the case studies provided. 

How to use the resources

To get the most out of using the information and case studies on this page, we suggest that you (or members of your team) follow the four steps set out below. Remember that reflections and experiences can be shared with other practitioners by accessing the online community for this theme: 

Stage 1: What practitioners and migrant families told us

• Read ‘what practitioners and families have told us’ and watch the ‘Communication Barriers’ short film. 

• Consider if and how these issues relate to your work with migrant communities and  if there are any additional communication barriers that you experience in your particular profession or community. 

• Reflect on the ways in which communication barriers identified impact on your work, and the everyday lives of the people that you support.

• You can write your thoughts down, discuss them in you your team, or start a conversation on the online community. 

Stage 2:  What practitioners can do  

• Read the ‘things practitioners can do section’ on your own, making any notes that will help you to remember anything that might be helpful in the future. 

Stage 3:  The case studies

• Carefully read through the chosen case study and make notes on your immediate response to the case and any initial thoughts that you have. 

• Then respond to the questions posed at the bottom of the case study page.

• Write down your responses, discuss the responses in your team, or start a conversation in the online community. 

Stage 4: Applying your reflections

• During the following four weeks, spend five minutes each week reflecting on if and how your learning from completing the above stages has been helpful in your work with migrant communities. You can do this during any daily activity. 

• After four weeks, revisit your learning in more detail. Set a time in your diary to revisit your learning. This only needs to be 15 minutes or, if you are working as a group, an agenda item in a team meeting. Again, you can also discuss this with the online community. 

Whilst specific professions and/or groups of people with migratory backgrounds are considered, this is not an exhaustive list, but a selection of useful resources that are available online. We hope that this will prompt you to search for further resources related to your profession and the communities with which you work.  Please share any further resources that you find useful with the online community for this theme,

General guidance on providing language support

• UK Government advice related to interpretation, translation and migrant health: "Language interpreting and translation: migrant health guide".

• A toolkit for providing language support for refugees produced by the Council of Europe: "Language Support for Adult Refugees".

• A Council of Europe toolkit for managing the first meeting with a refugees, that can be applied to all migrants: "Handling initial meetings with refugees: some guidelines" 

Useful links on how to work with interpreters

• Good practice guidelines produced be Reset Training: "Good practice when working with Interpreters".

• Guidelines for working with interpreters produce in New Zealand, but applicable elsewhere: "How to Work with Interpreters Effectively".

• Translator without borders: "Free interpreter resources".

• Guidance from the British Medical Association on working with refugees and asylum seekers that can be applied to all migrants: "Managing language barriers for refugees and asylum seekers".

Translated resources

• A resource produced by the Refugee Council that can be used to identify the language a person speaks:  "Language identification chart".

• Information produced by the Migration Information Hub, translated into multiple languages, about various subjects (e.g. health, housing, documents): "Translated resources".

• Information about being a volunteer in the UK translated into multiple languages, produced by Volunteer Centre Sheffield, but applicable elsewhere: "Translated Resources".

• Information produced by the UK's Health and Safety Executive, translated into multiple languages about key aspects of health and safety at work: "Languages".

Use gestures and visual methods

It can be useful to show people you are supporting a world map when communicating : "Map of the world with countries names".

An example - This is an resource created by *Chilypep in response to service user need. It is used to help newly arrived migrants find international stores, where they can connect with local communities and find familiar product: "International Supermarket",

*Chilypep, is one of the collaborating organisations that have produced this training resource.