Family Unification Assessment Project
CFAB can provide Social Work assessments to assist asylum and family unification applications involving minors’ to the Home Office. A qualified Social Worker will complete a Best Interest Assessment or a Family Assessment. This is exclusively for sponsors already living in the UK and want to unite with a family member who is a minor in Europe or beyond. These are charged at Legal Aid rates.
Referrals take the form of a Letter of Instruction from a solicitor accompanied by relevant documents such as witness statement, psychological assessment, country profile, etc.
To find out more, please email info@cfab.org.uk.
Family Reunification Service
Our Family Reunification Service provides advice and practical and emotional guidance for refugee children and young people arriving in the UK to live with extended family.
- Since 2019, we have supported refugees from countries including Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Iran and Kuwait.
- In 2024-2025, we supported 150 children and young people.
- 84% of young people have been supported in registering in school and have been able to continue their education.
- 93% of families were supported in accessing more appropriate housing.
Young refugees face many obstacles when arriving in the UK. Some may have not seen their family members for many years and some will have faced severe trauma and hardship along their journey prompting future mental health needs. While family members can be in a very good position to support these concerns, we recognise that it can also be overwhelming and confusing. Support, including knowledge and access to services is vital for families through these difficult times.
Since this project was launched in 2019, we have supported young people to access education and NHS mental health services; we have signposted families to legal advice and representation, as well as identifying local social support and activities. We have also successfully advocated and enabled families to apply for benefits and appropriate housing.
We are proud to be working in collaboration with charities such as Safe Passage and Refugee Action on this project. We accept referrals from charity partners and members of the public. Please be aware that we are a small team and we prioritise cases according to need. We may operate a waiting list in busy periods.
CFAB is grateful to The Henry Smith Charity and The Dulverton Trust who have supported the project from its inception and continue to fund this vital work.
Life Story Work
CFAB’s Family Reunification Service provides advice and practical support for refugee children and young people (CYP) arriving into the UK to live with extended family. We now offer Life Story Work as part of a therapeutic service to young people who may have experienced trauma and loss. This is delivered by an experienced social worker who uses a range of creative tools and activities to support the CYP to better understand their journey, their identity, by integrating their past and present in a way that makes sense to them. Sessions are tailored to each CYP and their family, and involve collecting, processing and recording information to create a tangible and age-appropriate record for them to keep. Alongside this, support and advice is offered to the family in relation to understanding the process and purpose of the Life Story Work, and thinking about how they can best support the CYP in their care through it.
For more information and referrals, please email refugee.families@cfab.org.uk.
CFAB is grateful to the British & Foreign Schools Society for their support of this work.
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