CFAB

Last week, we said a sad goodbye to a very cherished member of the CFAB team... but what better way to celebrate her extraordinary contribution to CFAB, and 8 years of friendship, than with a delicious CFAB cake 😍🍰

Our condolences to the family and friends of Baron Herbert Laming, who sadly passed away on 15 July.

Lord Laming was one of the most influential social workers in British history. His work was instrumental in producing major changes in child protection policies in the UK, including the introduction of the Children Act in 2004.

We are grateful for Lord Laming's longstanding support for CFAB and for the enduring impact he has had in upholding children's rights as a member of the House of Lords and the Privy Council.

Lord Laming will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to safeguarding young lives, and his legacy will continue to shape child welfare for generations to come.

What do our intercountry caseworkers do?

Our caseworker, Anna, tells us: "The work is very broad and there are so many different types of enquiries. I answer enquiries on the phone and by email. It can take time to advise and signpost enquirers to the right place as every enquiry is very specific."

"Our team works on cases around the world every week, so it’s very normal to hear that your colleague has been speaking to authorities in Hong Kong and Germany and South Africa — we really do work far and wide."

"CFAB has such specialist knowledge that can’t be found anywhere else — that’s why it’s so important to call our Advice Line, so we can share the knowledge around!"

To get support from someone like Anna call our advice line on 02077358941 Monday-Friday from 10-15.30, or email us anytime at [email protected]

For social workers to practise their profession in countries where they are not registered is risky, unethical, and sometimes illegal.

But, with more children on the move than ever before, our social work profession must be able to work effectively on cross-border cases.

That's why we've created a factsheet for professionals outlining best practice for working overseas.

Local professionals are always the best placed to complete assessments in their own country. So, by respecting professional jurisdiction abroad and working in collaboration with local counterparts, we can continue to do the best for children and families through our social work practices.

To learn more about conducting assessments overseas as a UK social worker, follow the link below to our short guide.

🌐 https://www.cfab.org.uk/resources/guides

Children should not lose family rights because borders exist.

But, for some children, the safest and most loving family option may not be nearby, it may be overseas.

CFAB welcomes Andy Burnham in his new role as Prime Minister and calls on his Government to ensure that international kinship care is recognised within their social care reform.

Without this action, children may continue to experience unnecessary separation from family, loss of culture and identity, and miss opportunities for permanent, long-term outcomes in their care.

📖CFAB's input into a new practice guide 📖

CFAB's Head of Service, Sorcha Morgan, has worked closely with the national What Works Centre for Children & Families, and the Department for Education to produce a practice guide on reunification.

Reunification is the return of a child to their parents following a period in care in a way that promotes safety, stability, and family functioning. Reunification is a significant transition period for children and their families, and requires careful planning and consistent support.

The reunification guide has been produced to ensure that:

🔶 families stay together and get the help they need
🔶 children are supported by their family network
🔶 children in care, and care leavers, have stable, loving homes.

The full guide, online summary and reflective tool are all available via the link below:

https://foundations.org.uk/toolkit/practice-guides/reunification/

⏳️Just one week to go until our free Lunch & Learn session!

🌍️With a growing number of forcibly displaced children and families, the world is facing a significant humanitarian crisis. As these families arrive in the UK, they need our support to settle and integrate into their new local communities.⁠
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💡In the second session of this series, we will cover the practical support that a family needs in the first 1-2 years post arrival to the UK. We will also touch on the changing legal landscape in relation to family reunion and the main areas in which families will need support including, access to housing, benefits, education and health services.

Tickets still available! Follow the link below to our website to book your place now.

https://www.cfab.org.uk/services/training

Last month we said goodbye to our exceptional trustee David Jones, celebrating more than a decade of service with CFAB.

As a qualified social worker with substantial experience working with Parliament, Ministers, government officials and NGOs, David's expertise was a hugely valuable part of our policy and practice committee. Driven by his commitment to the families we support at CFAB, David made an extraordinary contribution to our work over the past 12 years. We are immensely grateful for his dedication to CFAB's mission, and the lasting difference he has made.

While David's time working for CFAB has come to an end, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with him through the Independent Forum of Commonwealth Organisations, where he serves as Chair, to advance cooperation on child protection in the Commonwealth - of which the ISS is an accredited member. Through this relationship, we will continue to share CFAB's perspective and help integrate our expertise into the broader Commonwealth agenda.

Thank you, David. We wish you every success in the next chapter of your journey.

📝Resource available

There are more children on the move than ever before and increasing numbers of multinational and foreign-national families in the UK. Therefore, the social work profession - in the UK and globally - must be competent to work effectively on inter-country cases.

Placing children in care with family overseas can present with particular challenges, and this factsheet addresses these, providing practical advice for professionals.

A child’s right to preserve his or her identity, to be provided with appropriate alternative care, and for actions to take into account the child’s best interests, are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. So, when a child cannot be cared for by their parents, the first choice of alternative care should be with extended family and those with a kinship bond.

💻️Head to our website via the link below to read and share this resource.

🌐https://www.cfab.org.uk/resources/guides

CFAB and International Social Service (ISS) have contributed to a forthcoming United Nations report examining children's right to family life in the context of migration and asylum policies.

Our submission highlighted the importance of ensuring that children can remain connected to their families wherever possible.

Together, we highlighted the challenges that can prevent children from being safely reunited with family members across borders and the impact this can have on children's wellbeing, identity, and sense of belonging.

This work is helping to ensure that international family connections are recognised and considered when decisions are made about a child's future.

Follow the link below to our website read our full submission:

https://www.cfab.org.uk/resources/research