68

Taking care of populations with high levels of insecurity, such as asylum seekers, is a challenge on many levels. Often, emotional issues are insufficiently or not at all considered, especially among professionals on the front line. There is a need to be aware of these risks, to know how to spot them, to reduce them and in some cases, to know when to take care of the team of professionals and even the institutions. The concepts of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue have been known for decades. Studies describe the emotional impact that frontline professionals can undergo and the importance of training and supervision in reducing it. But we will go further, to explore further «what is transmitted and how» and articulate it with a less well known phenomenon, that of contagion within the institution, and the disastrous impact it can have on the whole organization of health and support services. Based on the experience accumulated in the field of team supervision, we provide some perspectives for reflection.