Our Advice and Information Line
020 7735 8941
Mon-Fri 10am to 4pm
Our National Advice and Information Line is a free and confidential telephone helpline for any enquiries that concern children and family welfare matters and cross international borders.
CFAB provides a number of resources for UK social work practitioners, agencies, legal departments, Local Authorities, NGO's, Police and private individuals.
We have experience gained from over 50 years of being part of an international network which is present in more than 120 countries world wide. CFAB's unique role is recognised by the UK Government, local authorities, the Family Division of the High Court and other major NGOs.
CFAB is able to provide core services and expertise in the following areas:
- Child Trafficking
- Private Fostering
- Children in Care / Looked After Children
- Child Abduction - Libyan Family Reunion Project
- Female Foreign Prisoners Children
- Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers
CFAB is able to assist with:
- Passing on concerns to services overseas / Child Protection Alerts
- International contact issues & mediation
- Training
- Overseas Assessments
- Placing children overseas
- Casework
- Police and Social Service Checks overseas
Please call our Advice line today for information and advice - 020 7735 8941
Maria's Story
Maria came to the attention of the Commission for Protection of Children and Youth in Portugal in 2009 because her mother had beaten her severely with a belt. She was entrusted to the care of her maternal grandmother in Portugal, but at the beginning of 2010 her grandmother said she could no longer care for Maria. Maria was placed in a Residential Institution in Portugal as her biological father was in prison for drug trafficking offences.
ISS Portugal contacted CFAB in January 2011 requesting an assessment of Maria’s maternal aunt, Graciete Monteiro Sanches, who was living in Crawley, UK. She had expressed an interest in caring for Maria and bringing her into her own family where she already had two sons.CFAB referred the case to Crawley local authority but they refused to complete an assessment of Graciete because Maria was not in the UK. CFAB carried out the assessment of Graciete and the completed kinship assessment was sent to ISS Portugal.Eventually Crawley local authority agreed to conduct background and CRB checks because CFAB’s assessment was very positive.
In September 2011 the Family and Minors Court of Seixal in Portugal ordered that Graciete become the permanent carer for Maria. Maria has now moved to live with her aunt and two cousins in the UK.
Safeguarding Children from Abroad - 2 July 2013
This highly practical one-day conference will provide an update on the latest local authority duties and their power to provide support to any child ‘in need’ to ensure that the child receives the adequate care and access to health and education services. CFAB will be speaking at this event.
Full details of speakers and how to book a place are here
I was delighted to find CFAB and discover how valuable your work is and that an organisation such as yours exists. The report that you have provided is imperative to my case and will hopefully assist me to gain greater access to my child, I cannot thank you enough.
Private Individual 2013
CFAB acknowledges and thanks the Department for Education for their generous support of this area of our work.
