Families Belong Together
When a child arrives in the UK as a refugee, they see their new home as a place of safety from the conflict and persecution they left behind. But even when their asylum claim is accepted a new ordeal awaits them.
Current UK law allows adult refugees rebuilding their lives in the country to sponsor their immediate family members to join them. Child refugees, however, are completely deprived this right.
We are fighting to change these rules and reunite more refugees with their family. You can help by adding your name to our open letter to the Prime Minister.
Dear Prime Minister,
Coronavirus has made us all acutely aware of how painful it is to be separated from our loved ones. But we know this separation is temporary. Sadly, this is not the case for everybody.
For some children in the UK, being kept apart from the parents they so desperately need is an everyday reality – pandemic or not.
These children are vulnerable. They have been recognised as refugees by our Government, having fled war or persecution - dangers and horrors most of us will never be able to imagine.
But current refugee family reunion rules say that child refugees cannot be reunited with their parents or siblings who may be thousands of miles away.
After finally reaching safety, many must now grapple with a future of insecurity and loneliness, knowing they might never see their family again.
At a time when children need their parents the most, our current rules instead condemn child refugees in this country to a life alone and possibly without ever knowing their loved ones’ fate.
Everyone should be given the chance to rebuild their lives so they can have a safe and happy future. That is why we are supporting the Families Together campaign in calling for a change to the UK’s refugee family reunion rules.
You have the power to change lives. With just the stroke of a pen you could fix the rules and help bring families back together.
Families Together coalition
The Families Together coalition is made up of over 50 organisations including Refugee Council.
The coalition is calling for:
- Child refugees to be able to sponsor their parents and siblings under the age of 25;
- Adult refugees to be able to sponsor their parents, their children under the age of 25, and their siblings under the age of 25;
- The reintroduction of legal aid for refugee family reunion.
