"I have never welcomed the weakening of family ties by politics or pressure" - Nelson Mandela.
"He who travels for love finds a thousand miles no longer than one" - Japanese proverb.
"Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence." - Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
"When people's love is divided by law, it is the law that needs to change". -
David Cameron.

Sunday, 30 October 2022

House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee


Many thanks to our friend Rebecca for appearing in front of the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee. This was part of the family migration inquiry which BritCits helped to contribute to via the University of Sheffield's Centre for Care. We are happy to be working with Sheffield and were grateful to facilitate a representation based on the request from the Lords.

All three witnesses gave compelling and moving testimony as to the impact of the family migration rules on their families, in different ways - across generations.

You can watch the session here. And a transcript will be available in due course.

(Our trustee, Steve, was also present - but you can't see him because he's off camera :) ). 

(Our friend, Ella of the group Reunite Families UK, also contributed to this inquiry and you can read a piece on that here). 



Updated 8/Nov/2022 : The transcript is available here. 



Monday, 17 October 2022

Deaths of children with no recourse to public funds

Deaths of children with no recourse to public funds

Author/Source : Via Andy Jolly, Twitter

Thread and article about about deaths of children with no recourse to public funds : https://twitter.com/andy_jolly/status/1580620356318294017 + https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/chso.12646 

 This is an important, shocking piece. 

 From the abstract : 'This paper reviews 26 reports into deaths and serious abuse of children in families who were subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) rule. Our analysis illustrates vulnerabilities caused by exclusionary policies, exacerbating social deprivation and isolation experienced by the children and families and making it more difficult for professionals to respond in ways which safeguarded children's welfare. Drawing upon a social model for protecting children that requires recognition of the social determinants of harm and the economic, social and cultural barriers faced by families, we examine the experiences of children and families with NRPF who were the subject of a serious case review, and the responses of agencies responsible for safeguarding child welfare. We conclude with recommendations for practices aimed at promoting the rights and well-being of children and families subject to NRPF rules.' 

 From the conclusion : 'Our analysis of SCRs suggests that the NRPF rule was a barrier to ensuring that the children were cared for safely. Children experienced situations such as hunger and homelessness which directly resulted from their NRPF status, and support services did not always understand the implications of the NRPF rule for safeguarding children. The current child protection system in England focuses on the harm caused by parental action or inaction, with less attention given to social determinants of harm, and therefore is unable to consistently safeguard the welfare of children who are subject to immigration control.'