ABSTRACT
If a therapy service is new to working with interpreters, and has some choice in which interpreting agency can be approached, it can be useful to seek advice from other therapy services working with refugees or non-English speaking communities. It can be useful to set up a meeting with the interpreting agency, and be prepared to ask some questions about their processes to ensure the safety of clients. The differences between a professional interpreter and a non-qualified interpreter are significant. Once an agency has been identified, it can be very helpful as a start to offer interested interpreters a training session on the work of the therapeutic service, outlining the therapeutic approach and which client groups are supported. Therapists should state the gender/language and dialect of the interpreter required when booking and also state the country of origin and/or region if this is important for the client.
