Navigating the Risks and Rewards of Digital Play for Young Refugees

Certificate of Completion

To receive a Certificate of Completion, watch all recordings in full using the modules under Course Content below.

Course Description

Refugee children and young people may experience multiple losses, disrupted attachment and trauma. These experiences can shape how they cope, connect and regulate. In today’s digital world, screens and online games can offer comfort and connection. However, they may also reflect or mask distress.

This Clinical Master Class explores the complex role of digital play in the lives of trauma-affected refugee children. Jocelyn Brewer and Shauna Murphy bring together theory and practice to examine screen use through a trauma-informed lens. You’ll learn about the Digital Nutrition™ framework and explore a real clinical case, with practical strategies for supporting children and families.

Recording 1: Jocelyn Brewer, Psychologist, Cyberpsychology Thought Leader. Recording Link: https://youtu.be/piqdjPk0XWM

Recording 2: Shauna Murphy, Early Childhood Counsellor, STARTTS. Recording Link: https://youtu.be/yBejztqbS5w

Recording 3: The Q&A panel discussion facilitated by STARTTS’ CEO and Clinical Psychologist, Jorge Aroche. Recording Link: https://youtu.be/ReYzp8pFGFA

This webinar was recorded on 23 September 2026. © STARTTS

Duration: 85 minutes. 

What you’ll gain

• A deeper understanding of how trauma, attachment disruption, and displacement shape children’s engagement with digital media
• Insights into the regulatory, relational, and developmental functions of gaming and screen use
• A practical framework (Digital Nutrition™) for assessing the risks and benefits of digital play
• The ability to recognise when screen use may signal underlying distress or dysregulation
• Trauma-informed strategies to support healthy digital engagement for children and families
• A real clinical case illustrating the intersection of trauma and escalating screen use
• Tools to support caregivers in setting boundaries while maintaining connection and safety
• A Q&A panel discussion with the presenters

This webinar is ideal for:

• Psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, and social workers
• Clinicians working with refugee children, young people, and families
• Early childhood practitioners and educators
• Caseworkers, youth workers, and community practitioners
• Mental health and humanitarian workers supporting trauma-affected populations
• Anyone interested in digital wellbeing, cyberpsychology, and trauma-informed care