Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) is a unique UK-based charity which identifies and protects children who have been separated from family members as a consequence of trafficking, abduction, migration, divorce, conflict and asylum, as well as other vulnerable individuals in often desparate circumstances. 

We provide expert advice and guidance, skilled professional services, and emotional support for anyone affected across international borders, guided by the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.   Our unique role is recognised by the UK Government, local authorities in the UK, the Family Division of the High Court, and other major NGOs such as NSPCC and Save the Children.

Click here to see where we work

 No. We do not travel to other countries to complete assessments. We rely on our international network of welfare agencies to complete the work that has been commissioned e.g. assessments on prospective carers or ascertaining the welfare of a child who might be at risk.

Our partner agencies identify the relevant authority to undertake the work according to national legislation and procedures. In some circumstances they may be able to do the work themselves, but this depends on the country and the request made to CFAB.

The benefit of this is that adequate action can be taken by the relevant agencies if for example a child is deemed to be at risk. Furthermore the work would be completed by an authorised and qualified professional as, some countries have similar professional registration schemes to that of the General Social Care Council (GSCC). This means assessments would be recognised, as it’s important to bear in mind some countries do not accept reports that have not been completed by professionals licensed to work in the country.

If an assessment has not been completed by an authorised professional and in line with national legislation, guidelines and procedures, the child’s placement in the other country may be affected. It can for example have an impact on the child’s legal status in regards to immigration or on court orders relating to the care of the child (Residence Orders, Parental Responsibility Orders…etc).

If professionals in the UK are considering travelling to an overseas country for the purpose of undertaking statutory social work, we highly recommend contacting the Embassy or High Commission of the relevant country to get information about national regulations in respect of social work as well as immigration regulations. Contact details for the relevant embassy/ High commission can be found on:http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/building-strong-relationships-ol/foreign-embassy-uk/.

CFAB relies on the capacity of our partner agencies overseas, which often depend on national resources allocated to social welfare matters. The budget and infrastructure available differs from country to country so resources might be very limited for undertaking statutory social work.

When we refer matters to our partner agencies they often have to identify an agency in the local area to complete an assessment. This adds to the chain of agencies involved and might delay the delivery of the requested report. However we believe that our partner agencies overseas are in the best position to identify the relevant agency in their country to do the requested piece of work.

In some countries we cooperate with professionals based in large government agencies and due to the bureaucracy that may be involved in these processes it might take some time to identify the responsible team within a department to take the necessary action.

Resources and infrastructure play a vital role for colleagues to be able to complete the piece of work. If more remote areas have to be visited it may be difficult to reach, especially if professionals rely on local public transport.

Some additional delay can be experienced if we can only use courier services to make referrals and if documents/referrals have to be translated.

Given the above reasons it can take several months for information to be provided and therefore enquiries should be made as early in the process as possible.

CFAB is a registered charity and is only partly government funded. Since the devolution of government funds to the Local Authorities in 2005, the government expects funding to be recovered from the Local Authorities for tasks contributing to their statutory responsibilities. Therefore CFAB needs to recover their costs from Local Authorities or other referring agencies.

CFAB offers Local Authorities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to register with us for an annual fee. Registered users benefit from a range of advantages such as priority service, reduced service user fees and training fees etc. More information can be found here: http://www.cfab.uk.net/resources/registration.php.

No. We do not have a database with contact details for relevant local social welfare agencies in the relevant areas of all countries. It would be nearly impossible to create such a database as contact details and internal structures are subject to change and it would not be possible to keep track of all these changes to update records.

CFAB is part of an international network, which has partner agencies in more than 100 countries. We use our international partner agencies to identify the relevant social welfare agency for our intercountry case services and to explain to an overseas authority the purpose of the referrals.

According to our experience difficulties can arise when contacting a social welfare department in other countries directly. Referrals from overseas agencies might be ignored if they are not sent in the national language and even when a translation is provided it might not be understood due to differences in social welfare systems and concepts. Furthermore if the referring agency is not known to them they may not release records or cooperate due to applicable data protection regulations.

In some cases the Embassy or High Commission of the relevant country might be able to provide contact details of a social welfare department overseas. Contact details for the relevant embassy/ High commission can be found on:http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/building-strong-relationships-ol/foreign-embassy-uk/.

No. We are unable to identify interpreters when social workers are travelling overseas to complete assessments and do not have any information about professional interpreters practising in overseas countries.

In some countries the British Embassy might be able to provide a list of professional interpreters. Contact details of British Embassies overseas can be found under:http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/embassies-and-posts/find-an-embassy-overseas/.

CFAB generally does not recommend for professionals to travel overseas carrying out assessments. Some countries do not recognise assessments, which have not been carried out by professionals, who are authorised to undertake such assessments according to the national legislation.

If an assessment has not been completed by an authorised professional and in line with national legislation, guidelines and procedures the child’s placement in the other country may be affected. It can for example have an impact on the child’s legal status in regards to immigration or on court orders relating to the care of the child (Residence Orders, Parental Responsibility Orders…etc).

Yes. If CFAB has been involved in a case we can facilitate the translation of a document but there may be additional charges for this service.

No. Interpol is the world’s largest international police organisation, with 187 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organisations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime. CFAB does not have any links to Interpol as Interpol can only be involved in a matter through their partner police agency in the respective country. More information about Interpol can be found on:http://www.interpol.int/default.asp.

.

CFAB is often contacted by Local Authorities and other agencies with the request to undertake Social Services Checks or Police Checks in another country. The purpose of these requests could be for the following reasons:

• prospective foster carers or adopters, who have previously lived abroad
• Children, who are subject to a S. 47 investigations / Initial Assessment or Core Assessment, and who have previously lived abroad.

Our partner agencies in a lot of countries are able to obtain information from the relevant Local Authority if there was previous social services involvement with the person concerned. However this always depends on the cooperation of the respective Local Authority. We can only undertake Social Services Checks in another country if the previous address(es) of the person/family concerned in the other country is known.

If the family does not disclose their previous address, we would at least require a location (area/district) and as many additional details as possible. The following information can be very useful:

• Details of extended family members
• Details of the school
• Details of doctors
• Details of any religious establishments/places of worship

All these can assist in identifying which authority would have been responsible for any services that may have been provided to the family.

We would furthermore ideally need the consent of the relevant persons concerned to undertake these checks due to data protection legislation in the other country. Please be aware that different countries have different regulations about the timeframe for keeping files. Depending on when a family/ person concerned might have been known to the respective authority abroad, the files might have been destroyed already by the time you request the information.

Our partner agencies rely on the cooperation of the respective Local Authority in the other country and are usually not able to enforce the release of information from a Local Authority abroad. If the matter is currently subject to court proceedings in the UK the Foreign Process Section might be able to request the cooperation of their equivalent in the other country.

The Foreign Process Section under Her Majesty’s Court Services is the Central Authority for the ‘Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters’ and the European Service Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters). According to our experience this process is very bureaucratic and the timeframes can be long. More information about the Foreign Process Section as well as contact details can be found on: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/9820.htm.

In some countries we may be able to obtain Police Checks or Criminal Record Checks, but often the person concerned needs to apply for the police check him- or herself due to data protection requirements. However please note that the standard of police checks varies from country to country and that regulations on how long records are kept vary.

If we cannot assist with the process, we may be able to provide contact details for the relevant department abroad depending on the country concerned. If the British police are involved they might be able to request Criminal Record checks from another country through Interpol.

CFAB is part of an international network, which has partner agencies in more than 100 countries. It is impossible to hold detailed information about welfare systems and support services in all countries we are operating in. However our experienced intercountry social workers may be able to provide general information about some countries on the Advice Line. As part of our case work services we can obtain general information about the welfare system of the country concerned. However it may take some time before we receive the requested information from our respective partner agency in the other country.

It may be possible for CFAB to provide country reports on specific issues. However a lot of research has to be done for this to be completed and our partner agencies need to be consulted before being able to make them available to you. Hence sufficient time is needed for this service to be provided.

General information about the welfare system of a particular country might sometimes be obtained from the embassy/ High Commission of the respective country. Contact details for the relevant embassy/ High commission can be found on: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/building-strong-relationships-ol/foreign-embassy-uk/.

General country reports can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (www.fco.gov.uk) or the BBC website (www.bbc.co.uk) that offer an overview about the country.

Despite the attempt of the European Union of harmonising national legislation and procedures, welfare systems including child protection systems vary from country to country within and outside the EU.

There are no uniform measures on how to protect children at risk, and the concept of what previously used to be the Child Protection Register as well as the creation of a national database for children are very specific to the UK.

A lot of countries do not hold a national database of children at risk and an international database of children at risk to alert other authorities when children go missing or travel does not exist.

To obtain information about whether children have been previously known to a local authority abroad the relevant authority in the respective country would need to be contacted. This also means that you would need to send a notification to the relevant authority in the other country to alert them about a child at risk in their area if a child has moved.

Yes. Depending on the country and whether CFAB has a partner agency in the respective country, CFAB can assist in forwarding information about a child at risk to an overseas authority. However ISS UK usually cannot enforce any actions to be undertaken following a referral as it is being dealt with according to national legislation and procedures. Authorities abroad may want to complete their own assessments before intervening and offering any services to the family.

Read further details if a child at risk is going abroad on holiday.

CFAB is often contacted by Local Authorities with the request to obtain Social Services Checks for a family, who might be subject to a S. 47 investigation / Initial Assessment or Core Assessment, and who has previously lived abroad. In a lot of countries our partner agencies are able to obtain information from the relevant Local Authority if there was previous Social Services’ involvement with the family concerned. However this always depends on the cooperation of the respective Local Authority. We can only undertake Social Services Checks in another country if the previous address(es) of the person concerned /family in the other country is known.

If the family does not disclose their previous address, we would at least require a location (area/district) and as many additional details as possible. The following information can be very useful:

• Details of extended family members
• Details of the school
• Details of doctors
• Details of any religious establishments/places of worship

All these can assist in identifying which authority would have been responsible for any services that may have been provided to the family

We would furthermore ideally need the consent of the relevant persons involved/ concerned to undertake these checks due to data protection legislation in a lot of countries, which might prevent the respective Local Authority to release such information. If consent is withheld we would need an explanation of why it could not be obtained and why the information is still required.

Please be aware that different countries have different regulations about the timeframe for keeping files. Depending on when the family might have been known to the respective authority abroad, the files might have been destroyed already by the time a British Local Authority requests this information.

As mentioned above our partner agencies will rely on the cooperation of the respective Local Authority in the other country. Our partner agencies are usually not able to enforce the disclosure of information from a Local Authority abroad. If the matter is currently subject to court proceedings in the UK the Foreign Process Section might be able to request the cooperation of their equivalent in the other country.

The Foreign Process Section under Her Majesty’s Court Services is the Central Authority for the ‘Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters’ and the European Service Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters). According to our experience this process is very bureaucratic and the timeframes can be long. More information about the Foreign Process Section as well as contact details can be found on: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/9820.htm.

Given the long timescales of international cases (How long does it take for CFAB to provide information from overseas?) and that each country has their own child protection system and welfare concepts, you should consider whether it is essential to inform the respective authority overseas and what services you expect from them. The following issues should be taken into account:

• If the family is going only for a short period of time (less than two weeks) and there is very little risk that the family will not return to the UK it is very unlikely that any authority overseas would become involved in the matter.
• If any person travelling within the family group may take on a protective role and how the risk is likely to be seen abroad.
• Varying child protection systems in different countries means that a Local Authority abroad might not be familiar with being notified about children at risk if the child is in their area on holiday, especially if no action is required. The Local Authorities abroad might not understand the purpose of this alert.

CFAB can usually facilitate the forwarding of information about children at risk to an overseas Local Authority depending on the country.

If you wish to inform the overseas authority by using our service CFAB would need to receive a referral well ahead of the family’s holiday. The Embassy/ High Commission of the respective country might be able to assist in forwarding such information to the respective authority overseas. Contact details for the relevant embassy/ High commission can be found on: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/building-strong-relationships-ol/foreign-embassy-uk/.

In most cases CFAB is able to request a welfare check through our international network, depending on whether we have a partner agency in the country concerned. The welfare checks would be completed according to applicable national standards and procedures in the other country and it can take several weeks before we receive a report back.

Should concerns be identified we would not be able to enforce any action following a welfare check even if you still consider the child to be at risk.

If the matter concerns a British child the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) might be able to assist through their consular service. However the Foreign & Commonwealth Office might not be able to enforce any action in the respective country either. The contact details of the FCO can be found at www.fco.gov.uk.

CFAB is raising awareness on child trafficking and provides advice about this issue. We would also be able to give contact details and information about the role of organisations in the UK that assist professionals, who are working with victims of child trafficking.

If you are working with a child who you think might have been trafficked into the UK, we might be able to assist in re-establishing contact with family members in the country of origin. However this might proove to be difficult in a lot of cases as sometimes the family might be involved with the traffickers or might not be fully aware of the child’s situation. In addition the child may be put at risk if contact is being re-established, as the family might think the child has dishonoured and/or brought shame to the family. Careful consideration should be given to whether it is feasible to make contact with family members overseas when working with a child who might have been trafficked into the UK.

Organisations you might wish to contact include:

• National Child Trafficking Advice and Information Helpline (CTAIL):http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/resourcesforprofessionals/freshstart/ctail/ctail_wda51323.html
• Child Exploitation and Online and Protection Centre: www.ceop.gov.uk
• End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes: http://www.ecpat.org.uk/index.html.
• Stop The Traffik – www.stopthetraffik.org

CFAB is able to liaise with its partner agencies abroad for assessments to be completed, but services differ from country to country. Depending on which country your enquiry concerns as well as our partner agency’s capacity and resources, our colleagues would be able to contact the responsible authority to complete the assessment. The benefit of this is that the Local Authority will be able to advise on support services available in the area from the very start and will also have the necessary language skills and cultural awareness to provide the report. The assessment will be also completed within the country’s own procedures and guidelines.

In some countries CFAB does not have a partner agency or is unable to request an assessment. In this case it may be possible to liaise with the country’s Embassy or High Commission in the UK to request their assistance. Their ability to assist may however vary. Contact details for foreign embassies in the UK can be found on:http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/what-we-do/building-strong-relationships-ol/foreign-embassy-uk/

Within certain EU Regulations and Hague Conventions it may also be possible to request assessments to be completed overseas as part of “the taking of evidence abroad” by contacting the Foreign Process Section.

The Foreign Process Section under Her Majesty’s Court Services is the Central Authority for the ‘Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters’ and the European Service Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters). According to our experience this process is very bureaucratic and the timeframes can be long. More information about the Foreign Process Section as well as contact details can be found on: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/9820.htm.

Any requests for monitoring the child’s placement should be discussed with the overseas authority as early as possible and ideally before the placement takes place. If the overseas authority is completing the assessment they can advise within that process how the placement could be monitored if this should become necessary at a later stage.

If you are completing the assessment in another country yourself it is essential to liaise with the responsible authority as early as possible in the process to ensure that they are involved in any plans and decisions, especially if regular reports are required.

Any monitoring is likely to be completed within the procedures and timeframes of the country concerned, and while the overseas authority may take into account your recommendations, in our experience monitoring visits may be conducted very differently.

Within the EU there may be possibilities to set up the monitoring of placements through EU Council Regulations like the Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 - Revised Brussels II. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2003/l_338/l_33820031223en00010029.pdfPlease contact the following authorities for further details about this regulation:

• For England and Wales: http://www.officialsolicitor.gov.uk/os/icacu.htm
• For Scotland: www.scotland.gov.uk/childabduction
• For Northern Ireland: http://www.nics.gov.uk/

If a child has special needs and is placed abroad this should be discussed with the authorities in the other country. They should be made aware of the needs and requirements at the time of the assessment for the placement. The agency should be informed about any current support services and recommendations may be made. However it is important to bear in mind that the same types of services may not be available in the other country. (Medical reports/expert evidence can be helpful to disclose)

Any support services in the other country may be subject to the agency’s own assessment once the child is placed, and sometimes no assistance may be offered.

Within the EU there may be possibilities to set up support services through EU Council Regulations like the Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 - Revised Brussels II. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2003/l_338/l_33820031223en00010029.pdfPlease contact the following authorities for further details about this regulation:

• For England and Wales: http://www.officialsolicitor.gov.uk/os/icacu.htm
• For Scotland: www.scotland.gov.uk/childabduction
• For Northern Ireland: http://www.nics.gov.uk/

CFAB is no longer registered as an Adoption Support Agency and has ceased its work relating to post adoption services. The provision of such services may depend on the country concerned.

The following agencies may be able to offer some further assistance/advice:

• Intercountry Adoption Centre - www.icacentre.org.uk
• Post Adoption Centre – www.postadoptioncentre.org.uk

CFAB would be able to offer the following services for adoption cases in the UK:

• Birth parent consent
• Assessments
• Social Services and/or Police Checks.

All services depend on the country concerned and need to be discussed on the Advice Line prior to referral.

If requesting birth parent consent it would be useful to include a description of what the adoption would mean within British Law as adoption procedures and the understanding of adoption varies from country to country. It is therefore important to be mindful that other countries have different concepts and it may even be appropriate for the relevant forms to be translated into the birth parents language to ensure they fully understand their rights and consequences of the adoption.

Separated children are those children, who are in the UK without their parents or any primary carer. It includes children that seek asylum, have been trafficked, are privately fostered, have been abandoned or are orphaned.

CFAB does not become involved to facilitate safe reception arrangements to remove a child without any immigration status if there are no concerns about the child’s welfare and a parent and/or care giver is in the UK. However if it is in the best interests of a child to be returned to his/her home country we would be able to liaise with the relevant agencies overseas to determine whether this is feasible.

Sometimes we do assist in obtaining background information especially if there are welfare concerns in the UK e.g. child may have been trafficked. However if we are able to, assistance will depend on the country concerned and whether family members will cooperate with the authorities overseas. Some considerations have to be given to the possible risk to the child if the family have been involved with the child being trafficked. Further information on what to do if you are concerned that a child may have been trafficked into the country.

Yes, CFAB would be able to contact the authorities in another country to contact the parents or relatives to verify some of the background information and to assess if they are able to look after the child. However our services depend on whether we have a partner agency in the respective country and on their capacity to assist.

We would only become involved when a possible return concerns a placement with members of the family and not when enquiries are made for a placement within state care, unless this is in the best interest of the child.

We would have to be mindful whether any enquiries about a child who claimed asylum in the UK would put the family at risk of retribution if the authorities visit them. In case our partner agency is a government organisation it may be more appropriate for CFAB to identify a local NGO in the particular country, but it would take some time for arrangements to be made. This service may not be possible in every case.

If the family refuses to cooperate with our partner agency and/or the authorities we would not be able to enforce any action and the matter in the particular country would be dealt with according to local procedures and guidelines.

Yes, CFAB would be able to contact the authorities in another country to contact the parents or relatives to verify some of the background information and to see how contact may be set up.

We would have to be mindful whether any enquiries about a child that claimed asylum in the UK would put the family at risk of retribution if the authorities visit them. If our partner agency is a government organisation it may be more appropriate for CFAB to identify a local NGO in the particular country, but it would take some time for arrangements to be made. This service may not be possible in every case.

Some tracing may be involved before any arrangements can be made and we would need a minimum amount of information (name, date of birth or age, address or location) as a starting point. We would never be able to guarantee success and if the person did not want to have contact we would not disclose their details.

If the family refuses to cooperate within the particular country and/or with the authorities we would not be able to enforce any action and the matter would be dealt with according to local procedures and guidelines.

Yes. CFAB can become involved in international child abduction matters.

If your child has been abducted to another country we may be able to make arrangements with our partner agency in the other country to set up contact or if you believe your child to be at risk to complete a welfare visit. We would need to have a minimum amount of information including child’s full name, date of birth and address in the other country or at least a location. If you do not have the address we could attempt to trace your child, but would not be able to guarantee success.

While we can certainly try to set up contact with the child in the other country, it is very likely that we would have to contact the other parent first to make any arrangements acceptable for all parties. If the other parent or family members do not cooperate, it will not be possible for us and/or our partner agency to enforce contact.

For concerns about your child’s welfare we could alert the authorities in the other country asking them to visit and provide some information. The welfare checks would be completed according to national standards and procedures in the other country and it can take several weeks before we receive a report back.

Should no concerns be identified we would not be able to enforce any action following a welfare check if you still considered the child to be at risk.

It may take time to contact our overseas partner due to translations, bureaucracy etc… It may also take time to make the necessary arrangements which depend on applicable procedures and regulations in the other country. At times our colleagues may advise us that these matters have to be dealt with by a different authority e.g. an organisation designated to handle child abduction matters and then we may not be able to offer any assistance.

CFAB would not be able to become involved in the return of a child to the UK or in the legal process of the return of a child if your child was abducted to a country that has signed the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.text&cid=24

Please contact the following authorities for further details about The Hague Convention, depending on where you live:

• For England and Wales: http://www.officialsolicitor.gov.uk/os/icacu.htm
• For Scotland: www.scotland.gov.uk/childabduction
• For Northern Ireland: http://www.nics.gov.uk/

For abductions to countries that have not signed the Hague Convention please contact the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/things-go-wrong/child-abduction

Reunite, a UK charity specialising in international child abduction may be another useful resource. www.reunite.org

Yes. CFAB would be able to notify the authorities in another country about your concerns if you know where your friend/relative is. If you do not have an address we would need at least their full name, date of birth or age and an area to try and locate them.

Depending on the circumstances we could ask our partner agency to visit the home to ensure the person is well and does not need any assistance. However we cannot enforce any action and would rely on the country’s legislation and procedures to deal with the matter. If your friend or relative refuses to cooperate with the authorities in another country it may mean that no action is taken.

CFAB cannot assist in returning/repatriating friends or relatives from another country to the UK. Such action should be discussed directly with any professionals that are involved in the other country.

As far as we are aware there is no automatic entitlement to benefit or support services for British nationals returning to the UK after having lived abroad for a number of years. However this may depend on the country you have been residing in and whether that country has a social security agreement with the UK. For further information please look at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/international/

If you require any assistance you should contact the Local Authority of the area you wish to return to. They may wish to complete an assessment to see if you are eligible and to identify which support services need to be set up. Any entitlements may depend on the length of time you have spent abroad. The authority may also want to satisfy themselves that you are “habitually resident” in their area before offering any assistance.

Information on benefits and other services can be found on http://www.direct.gov.uk

Furthermore British Embassies or High Commission may be able to advise on these matters. Their contact details can be found on http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/embassies-and-posts/find-an-embassy-overseas/.

CFAB cannot become involved in solely immigration matters where an application for entry clearance/residence permit is made. Furthermore we are not an accredited immigration advice service to be able to provide information on the process.

The following organisations may be able to provide some further advice:

• The Immigration Advisory Service - http://www.iasuk.org/home.aspx
• UK Border Agency - http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk

A list of immigration advisors is available on www.oisc.gov.uk

No. Unfortunately CFAB is no longer registered as an Adoption Support Agency and is not able to assist. Please contact the agency that was involved in your adoption for further advice.

CFAB is no longer registered as an Adoption Support Agency and has ceased its work relating to post adoption services.

The following agencies may be able to offer some further assistance/advice:

• Intercountry Adoption Centre - www.icacentre.org.uk
• Post Adoption Centre – www.postadoptioncentre.org.uk

You should contact your Local Authority or a voluntary adoption agency that is registered to work on intercountry adoption for some further information on the process. You will need to be assessed and approved as an adopter to ensure that you are suitable to adopt. Once you have been approved the assessment will be forwarded to the Central Authority for intercountry adoption within the UK to continue the process with the country you wish to adopt from.

Contact details of the Central Authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found here:

http://hcch.e-vision.nl/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=229

If you would like to adopt a child from a country that has not signed the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption you would need to familiarise yourself with the specific adoption process of the country concerned.

The UK does not automatically recognise adoptions from all countries and it may be necessary to re-adopt the child in the UK for the adoption to be legally recognised. For further information you should contact your Local Authority or Central Authority.

Contact details of the Central Authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found here:

http://hcch.e-vision.nl/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=229

No. CFAB does not employ legal professionals to offer legal advice. If you need to contact a solicitor you can contact the Law Society. Their websites enables you to complete a local search for a solicitor. http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/home.law

If you require a solicitor in an overseas country we would recommend contacting the British Embassy or British High Commission for a list of English speaking solicitors. Contact details for the British Embassies or High Commission abroad can be found on http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/embassies-and-posts/find-an-embassy-overseas

British court orders may not be automatically enforceable depending on the country concerned. Within the EU there may be possibilities to enforce or recognise court orders through EU Council Regulations like the Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 - Revised Brussels II. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2003/l_338/l_33820031223en00010029.pdf For further information please contact the Official Solicitors Office. Their contact details can be found on http://www.officialsolicitor.gov.uk/os/icacu.htm

Outside the EU it will depend on the country concerned and the international conventions the country has signed if court orders can be enforced and recognised. It will be necessary for you to seek legal advice on the process. You can contact the Law Society and their website enables you to complete a local search for a solicitor. http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/home.law

If your enquiry concerns maintenance there can be reciprocal agreements (Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders – REMO) between the UK and other countries for orders to be registered and enforced.

Contact details for the relevant Central Authority can be found here:http://www.officialsolicitor.gov.uk/os/remo_contacts.htm

No. Generally CFAB does not attend court hearings. We are a very small organisation operating nationally and it would not be possible for us to attend court hearings on all our cases.

Furthermore reports from overseas are completed by the authorities or a local agency in the respective country and not by a member of staff based at CFAB. Therefore it would not be possible to give evidence on a report that has been completed by a third party.

We are however able to write a letter to the court to explain our involvement and the developments on the case to date.

At times we receive requests from overseas colleagues to give evidence in a British Court. This request needs to be discussed well in advance and the following issues would need to be clarified:

• Does their current employer allow them to take the time of work to travel to the UK?
• Does the current employer allow them to give evidence in a foreign court?
• How would travel expenses be covered?
• Does the person require a visa to enter the UK?
• Would an interpreter be available?

Some of these issues may also apply for video conferencing, with the additional consideration that our colleagues may not have easy access to such facilities. There may be costs that need to be covered for the use. Some thought would need to be given to practical issues e.g. time difference, court dates (is it a public holiday in the other country etc…)