CFAB News

Social Work and Social Development Conference Hong Kong

July 2010

CFAB CEO Andy Elvin recently presented at the first annual International Social Work conference in Hong Kong.

Social work practitioners, academics and government officials from around the world gathered to discuss current issues in social work. We were able to promote our view that international social work issues should become a set module on all pre and post qualifying social work courses worldwide.

Andy was joined by International Social Service network colleagues from China, Australia, USA and Switzerland in presenting a workshop on the issues faced by children moving across borders. The workshop focussed on placement with family members overseas, unaccompanied asylum seekers and successful returners programs, mediation in family breakdown and abduction cases and the work of the ISS network.

The workshop attracted a good deal of interest and we made excellent contacts with colleagues from the Philippines, India, Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) and Taiwan which should strengthen our work with these countries.

Whilst there Andy also had the opportunity to see the excellent work of ISS Hong Kong especially the work they undertake with asylum seekers from overseas and migrants from mainland China.  

Over 3500 professionals attended the conference and the second such conference will be in Stockholm in 2012.

 

CFAB Summer Party

July 2010

On Saturday 3rd July 2010 CFAB held its first Summer Party which was very kindly hosted by Mr and Mrs Ali Sarikhani at their magnificent Hutton Farm Estate in Henley-on-Thames. Over 80 guests attended the event and were treated to an exceptional afternoon which included entertainment in the form of archery, sheep dog trials and lively music and dancing! The food and refreshments were delicious starting with tea and scones, followed by a champagne reception and finishing with a traditional farmhouse evening buffet that was truly splendid. Fundraising on the day consisted of a small live auction with three prizes, a pledge card appeal and a silent auction of stunning artwork provided by the Broad Gallery.

The event raised over £35,000 for CFAB in our work to help protect vulnerable children and adults across international borders which was an amazing achievement.

We would like to sincerely thank the Sarikhani family for their generosity in organising and hosting this event. CFAB would also like to thank all guests for their kind support and generosity throughout the evening. Words cannot express our gratitude.

 

CFAB comments to Community Care Magazine about child abduction

June 2010

Meena Enawalla Operation Manager at CFAB spoke to Louise Tickle from Community Care Magazine about how social workers should react when children in care, or children about whom there are concerns, are whisked abroad by family members.

To read the full article please click here

 

CFAB World Market Thank You Party

June 2010

On Tuesday 1st June 2010 CFAB held a World Market Thank You Party at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill. It was wonderful to see many of the stall holders again and be able to express our heart felt thanks for their efforts and support over the last few months.  We are so lucky to have such dedication and generosity from the Diplomatic Community here in London.  Without this support the World Market simply would not be able to take place, and we are so very grateful to all the countries who participated this year helping to make the 51st World Market such a successful and colourful event.

The Thank You Party was very kindly sponsored by Hyatt Regency London who provided the fantastic venue and IDS who provided the delicious food and beverages.

At the moment the World Market has raised around £70,000 and we are still awaiting for some country’s contribution, so we hope this figure will rise.

Planning for the 2011 World Market will begin soon with the first coffee party to take place in November, we hope to see all the countries return next year as well as a few more!

 

 

CFAB 2010 Pro-Am Golf Tournament & Gala Dinner

May 2010

The bi-annual CFAB Golf Tournament took place at the magnificent Stoke Park Club, Buckinghamshire on Monday 24th May 2010.  The focus of the day was to raise money for the charity’s work in the field of international child abduction.

Lady professionals joined teams from Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Julius Baer to name but a few and of course our sponsors, Credit Suisse, to battle it out on one most challenging courses in the country.  We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day weather wise.  A competitive round of golf was followed by a champagne reception and gala dinner with entertainment. The eagerly anticipated prize giving crowned the top teams, as well as many other prizes dished out for individual triumphs. 

Fundraising on the evening was a storming success and Steve Rider ensured a lively auction made a considerable contribution to the total raised. The raffle was also extremely popular as there was a chance to win some fantastic prizes. The generosity of all those in attendance resulted in the day raising around £90,000 for the charity which is a new record for the Golf Tournament. CFAB would like to sincerely thank Dr Sattaripour and the organising committee for hosting and arranging such a fantastic event. 

 

DCSF releases this information on intercountry adoption guidance

May 2010

Please click here to read the report in full

A year to remember... CFAB 51st World Market comes to London

May 2010

On the 12th May 2010 CFAB held its 51st International World Market in Kensington Town Hall to raise money for the charity and the invaluable work we do with children and families.

Representatives from over 80 of London’s Diplomatic Missions hosted stalls, offering products that are unique to their country including hand made crafts, jewellery, clothing and accessories as well as delicious international food from around the world. The town hall was transformed into a colourful, exotic and lively arena for all to enjoy!

The event was filled with dynamic entertainment provided by the energetic Angolan drummers, traditional Mexican Mariachi band, Fijian warriors and performers from Sri Lanka, as well as wonderful competitions. Guests had the opportunity to win superb prizes in our raffle, tombola and silent auction including hotel stays, restaurant visits, flights and sports memorabilia. Many congratulations go to all the winners of these fantastic prizes. For a list of the raffle prize winners please click here 

We were also honoured to have our patron HRH Princess Alexandra attend our event before it opened. She thanked the stall holders and also purchased quite a few items!

We would like to thank our Committee Chairman Heather Starkey, Mrs Carmen Davies, Mrs Pauline Sieler, Mrs Caroline Stephens and Mrs Judy Chilton for all their invaluable help in making this year a great success.

Read about CFAB in Hello Magazine!

Diplomat Magazine covers the World Market

Read about the Czech Republic at the CFAB World Market

Read how CFAB's 51st World Market makes the news in the Philippines

View the photogallery here

 

CFAB hosts successful Inaugural Child Protection Lecture

April 2010

On 29th April 2010 CFAB welcomed over 60 professionals to Governors House, London for the Inaugural Child Protection Lecture delivered by Lord Laming - a patron himself to the charity.

The event was a huge success for the charity providing a stimulating and thought provoking opportunity for professionals to network and hear from a key figure in the social work arena. Huge thanks go to Lord Laming for such an excellent lecture and to Alex Verdan, QC and Lord Justice Thorpe for participating in the plenary session.

To view a full transcript of the lecture please click here

 

CFAB particpiates in the ECPAT Three Small Steps campaign to ensure provision of safe accommodation for child victims of trafficking

March 2010

CFAB has written to Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, calling on him to ensure provision of safe accommodation for child victims of trafficking.

Many children who have been trafficked into the UK are being placed in accommodation that fails to provide for their needs as child victims who have suffered tremendous physical, sexual and/or psychological abuse. Due to limited specialist care and a lack of training on and awareness of the issue of trafficking, the experiences and needs of these children are not recognised or dealt with appropriately through the care that they currently receive.

To view the letter please click here

 

CFAB International Child Protection Dinner record breaker!

11th February 2010

This years International Child Protection Dinner held at the Spanish Embassy has broken all previous records raising an outstanding £170,000! This is an incredible achievement for CFAB and we are enormously grateful to HRH Princess Alexandra, HE The Spanish Ambassador and Mrs Massanet and the staff at the Spanish Embassy and our ICP Events Committee for making the night a truly memorable occasion.

Guests enjoyed a champagne reception followed by a stunning three course meal full of laughter and merriment. A live and silent auction were the activities for the night and our Chairman Douglas Lewis once again did another fantastic job as auctioneer, selling some really wonderful prizes.

All the staff at CFAB would like to extend their warmest thanks to all who came to support the charity on the night.

To view the wonderful photogallery from the event please click here

 

CFAB training event - 'Safeguarding children across borders - Challenges for best practice'

26th January 2010

Migration, both voluntary and forced, and its impact on the population in the UK, is influencing social work practice. The migrant population in the UK continues to increase, and in London, 31% of the population was born overseas.

In this context, professionals are facing new challenges to safeguard children with an international cultural background and to provide support services to them. CFAB held a one training event at Friends House, Euston to discuss with professionals these challenges and will give practical guidance on how to deal with these issues.

The day featured presentations from expert speakers in this field and a series of workshops run by CFAB staff to discuss cases that are dealt with here on a daily basis. For more detailed information on this training and what the day entailed please click here

 

EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI: Intercountry adoption cases

18th January 2010

As in every dramatic event that affects a country, the question arises again about the intercountry adoption of children in the Haitian context.

In this regard, ISS / IRC first recalls that, in general, international adoption should not take place in a situation of war or natural disaster, given that these events make it impossible to verify the personal and family situation of children. Any operation to adopt or to evacuate children that are victims of the earthquake to another country must be absolutely avoided. To read this statement in full from our General Secretariat please click here.

 

CFAB attends Morton Hall

15th January 2010

A small team of CFAB social workers attended Morton Hall prison to provide out reach support to the women in prison. Morton Hall has a high percentage of foreign inmates with children abroad and CFAB was able to provide invaluble advice and support to those who needed it most. The day was hugely successful and we hope to visit more prisons in the future.

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PROTECTING CHILDREN WITHOUT ADEQUATE PARENTAL CARE

30th November - 3rd December 2009

Save the Children, together with UNICEF and the Better Care Network, brought together leaders from Governments, bi-lateral donors, international agencies, private foundations, and academia to explore the challenges and opportunities in protecting children without adequate parental care. Please click here to read more about the key policy recommendations that emerged from this conference.

 

Guidelines on the Alternative Care of Children welcomed at UN General Assembly

20th November 2009

A resolution ‘welcoming’ the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children has been adopted by UN General Assembly (UNGA). These Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children are intended to enhance the implementation of the UNCRC, and other relevant provisions of international and regional human rights law, in matters of protection and well-being of children who are in need of alternative care.

This resolution also requests the Office of the High Commisoner for Human Rights ensures the wide dissemination of the text and is now implemented as part of national policy.

ISS has been involved in this process since 2004 when the call for International Standards was first made and is therefore thrilled with this news. In response to this news, SOS Children’s Villages and ISS have launched a small publication of introductory questions to gauge whether the national policy reflects the principles espoused in the Guidelines.

 

20th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

20th November 2009

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The occasion marks an important milestone in the history of the Convention which, over its lifetime, has become the most universally endorsed human rights treaty in the world. The CRC is an important legal document with the potential to emancipate children from harm and injustice. Since its inception, it has helped to shift perceptions of children from lesser citizens to rights holders with legitimate expectations and entitlements. Please click here to continue reading.

To mark the anniversary CFAB has produced a guide to the UNCRC for professionals.

 

Kuwait Embassy Charity Reception and Dinner

12th November 2009

On 12th November ISS UK held a wonderful Reception and Dinner at His Excellency the Kuwait Ambassador’s Residence in Kensington. The funds raised will enable the charity to continue and expand their valuable work promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of children across international borders, and helping those threatened by abduction and trafficking.

The spectacular venue coupled with the fantastic quality of food helped to make this event a real success. There was a warm and friendly atmosphere created by the Ambassador, his wife and their wonderful team that made all the guests feel relaxed and comfortable.

The charity's Chairman, Mr Douglas Lewis, took the role of auctioneer and with the help of some superb auction prizes made the bidding lively and very competitive. This helped the charity to raise over £60,000 on the evening which is an amazing achievement.

Mr Harvey McGrath, our President also announced that the charity is in the process of changing its name to Children and Families Across Borders, which will be launched in the New Year.

Special thanks go to the ISS UK Kuwait Dinner Committee and the staff at the Kuwait Embassy for all their hard work in making this event run smoothly. The event was also fortunate to have generous individuals and sponsors that donated the prizes for the auction, which included Olympic Air, Mrs Zandra Rhodes, Mrs Irene Vasilopoulos, Mr Yannis Zounalis and Mr Gary Lewin.

Click here to see our photogallery

 

Andy Elvin, CEO speaks at Baltimore conference

October 2009

Our CEO Andy Elvin spoke at a recent conference in Baltimore, USA discussing approaches to working with unaccompanied children and young people seeking asylum. Andy made crucial links with the US State Department child abduction unit, the Department of Homeland Security and the schools of Social Work at Maryland and Chicago Universities which will help immensley as the charity develops our childrern in care projects in the future.

 

CFAB signs CRIN petition

September 2009

CFAB joins CRIN in this campaign aiming to stimulate open and transparent appointment processes in order to identify leaders with the appropriate commitment, skills and experience to work effectively for children’s rights. 

For more information please click here.

In October 2009 this report was released about the appointment of the new children's commissioner in England.

 

The Guardian reports on child abduction

10th August 2009

The Guardian front page reports on child abduction, highlighting the stark rise in the number of child kidnappings by estranged parents, with 500 children a year now being abducted from the UK. You can read CFAB's Chief Executive Andy Elvin's comments on this issue in the following article.

Listen to Andy Elvin on Radio 5 Live