'Marriage of convenience' or a 'match made in heaven': lawyers and social workers working with asylum seekers

This article presents a model which utilises the knowledge and skills that lawyers and social workers are able to bring to working with asylum seekers and assists asylum seekers to present a comprehensive case with a focus both on supporting their credibility and maximising their ability to actively engage in the process. The paper provides a brief overview of the process of applying for a protection visa in Australia.

This is followed by a discussion of some of the problems asylum seekers encounter during the process. The second half of the paper is a step by step presentation of the model. A case study is used throughout the paper to act as an illustration of a typical case.