Introduction to CFAB's work

We live in a society that is increasingly diverse, with families often separated voluntarily or involuntarily, between countries. War, famine, ethnic persecution, and divorce or separation all take their toll on the family structure. Children can as a result become homeless, abandoned or abused, orphaned or separated from their parents by international boundaries.

Whilst national laws provide a safety net for the protection and welfare of most children in the UK, they may fail to reach those children with an international dimension. When children are removed from the UK, even temporarily, the UK laws do not apply to them any longer and have no affect overseas.

Therefore, who cares about these children? Who can untangle the complex laws and procedures surrounding these complex situations? Who has contacts and can engage authorities in the overseas country to reach mutually agreed solutions? Individuals and professionals in the UK may feel overwhelmed by these complicated situations and lack the specialised knowledge to deal with them. Promoting and protecting the rights of these children requires an understanding of issues beyond national law. This is the unique specialisation of CFAB.

CFAB believes that the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and that, wherever possible, children should grow up in the care and under the responsibility of their parents. We believe that if children are separated from their parents, every effort should be made to reunite the family, or, when this is not possible, each child remains connected to family members and to their culture of origin.

Our group of Social Workers are dedicated to helping individuals and families whose personal or social problems have an international context; and to working with other agencies in dealing with international cases.