Protecting children and uniting families across borders

ISS UK is an independent charity and part of an international network of social agencies. Our mission is to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children, adults and families across international borders.

NEWSLETTERAutumn 2009

Child Abductions Rise

Fact! Globalisation and patterns of

migration are affecting modern

Britain in more ways than one. As

a result we have seen a growing

number of transnational marriages

and relationships. If these break down,

international co-operation is vital

in the resolution of family conflict,

and to ensure the best interests

of the child are always a priority.

Abductions are usually the consequence

of one parent feeling aggrieved by the

separation and/or custody and contact

arrangements. Abduction undoubtedly

causes anxiety and heartbreak to

the parent left behind and can be

extremely traumatic for the child.

The promotion and preservation of

contact between a child and their

natural family is mandated by the

European Convention on Human Rights

and the UN Convention on the Rights of

the Child. (UNCRC) This means when

parents residing in the UK are divorced

or separated there are legal statutes

to address the issue of contact and

access; and there are support services

to provide mediation, counselling, and

advice. However, there are very limited

opportunities to access mediation,

counselling and emotional support for

families when they are separated across

international borders.

This is where ISS UK can help...

We have found that mediation is

the key to a successful and lasting

resolution which ultimately benefits all

those involved.

Our Family Mediation Service utilises

our expertise in mediation based family

counselling, combined with our charity’s

international network, to fill the gap

that currently exists in the provision of

these much needed services.

ISS UK is able to

* Offer advice & support to parents who are divorced, separated or are separating & one parent intends to live abroad

* Try to arrange welfare checks on children abducted abroad

* Provide expert mediation in abduction cases so disputes & conflicts are resolved in a manner which protects the best interests of any child(ren) involved

* Provide expert advice & emotional support to parents who are caught in the intrica-cies of international custody, abduction & access disputes

* Encourage parents to focus on the importance of contact issues in accord with the UNCRC

470 children abducted from the UK last year, an increase of 20% since 2005

Page 2

ISS UK Newsletter Autumn 2009

Q What attracted you to ISS UK?

A It was the opportunity to combine social

work with running a charity again. The work of ISS is fascinating as well as being vital to children and families. The opportunity to work in an international context was also very appealing.

Q What are your plans for the future of ISS

UK?

A I want to see ISS UK grow and offer

services to even more adults, children and families in need of them. With the rise of abductions, trafficking and the increasing number of children and young people in public care who have extended family options in other countries, the organisation is needed more than ever. Therefore growing the service and raising our profile are the two key aims for the next three years.

Q What makes you passionate about the

work that you do?

A The opportunity to make a difference for

a vulnerable child or family is a privilege. Social work is an enormously important profession that works with some of the most difficult and intractable problems in modern society. Extending our services to ensure better outcomes for our clients is a fantastic challenge.

Q Who has been your biggest inspiration

professionally and why?

A My grandmother, who was a midwife in rural

Lincolnshire in the 1940’s and 50’s as well as bringing up 4 children on her own, has been a big influence. Generally though, it is the children and families I have worked with who have taught me the most about social work and they are the reason I have stayed in the profession.

Andy ElvinChief Executive

Happy birthday UNCRC!

This year ISS UK is celebrating

the 20th Anniversary of the UN

Convention on the Rights of the

Child (UNCRC). This Convention

is the most widely ratified international

human rights treaty in history. It

grants all children and young people a

comprehensive set of rights to special

protection measures and assistance.

It all started in the 1940s when the UN

produced the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights. Over the years a

call for a dedicated children’s human

rights treaty was made due to their

vulnerability. On 20th November 1989,

195 governments at the United Nations

General Assembly agreed to adopt the

Convention.

Since the convention was ratified in

the UK in 1991, increasing importance

is given to children. While progress

has been made some issues that

need attention remain and inequality

persists in income, health and

education. It impacts severely on

children’s rights and their life chances.

This Convention is extremely

important in ISS UK’s work as it gives

us a common language with other

countries where national legislation

differs. We also raise awareness of

children’s rights among professionals

in the UK within our training events.

Furthermore we advocate that

children’s rights are taken into

consideration when making plans

or decisions for children through

handling cases that concern child

welfare matters.

Staff Spotlight

Staff Spotlight

Page 3

ISS UK Newsletter Autumn 2009

There is an increasing pattern of local authority

and Cafcass social workers travelling abroad to

undertake assessments. Often these are of extended

family members of children in care in the UK

who wish to place the child(ren) with family overseas.

The aim is laudable as all children have the right to family

life and all family options should be fully explored.

“ ISS UK strongly advises against UK social workers travelling abroad

to undertake social work. ”

It is illegal for an overseas social worker to work in the UK

without GSCC registration and many other countries have the

same constraints.

If a social worker is found working in some countries such

as the USA, Canada and Australia on a tourist visa with no

registration, they may be liable for deportation with no right

of return for breaching immigration rules. In South Africa

practicing as a social worker without being registered carries

a penalty of a hefty fine and up to six months imprisonment.

In other countries, entering on a tourist visa and practicing

social work leaves the worker liable to being charged with

immigration offences.

In addition many believe there is free travel within the EU and

social workers can practice throughout. This is not strictly true.

Any EU social worker can gain a job in any other EU member

state as a social worker with a recognised social work employer

but they must still register with the requisite countries

professional body. Freedom of trade within the EU does not

necessarily mean that a UK social worker can travel to Hungary

to undertake assessments in pursuance of UK cases.

Legal issues aside there are strong ethical, practice and

cultural reasons why the phenomenon of UK social workers

travelling abroad to undertake assessments is poor practice.

Some social services in other

countries object to overseas

workers coming into their

countries to undertake social

work on UK cases. They consider

it disrespectful to their own

social workers and to the

sovereignty of their country.

What if a UK social worker

operating abroad finds themselves in a situation where the

family make a complaint about their conduct? They will have

no professional indemnity or protection. In many instances the

local social services would have to intervene.

In the majority of countries there are local social services

available to undertake work on behalf of UK Local Authorities

and the Courts. It may be that the reports received will not be

in the formats expected by the UK or in the timescales within

which UK based assessments would be produced. However

the “child’s timescale” was never intended to be simply

an expression of the shortest possible time within which to

dispose of a case. It surely means the time it takes for the best

possible outcome for that child to be achieved. Increasingly

children coming into care in the UK will have extended

family options overseas. These options should be explored

fully utilising the resources within the overseas country and

respecting social services teams overseas.

There will continue to be cases where the local social services

cannot undertake the work required. In these instances we

advise that UK social workers seek permission to undertake

social work before travelling and take advice from ourselves

and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as to cultural and

legal arrangements in the country they are planning to visit.

Caution: Social Worker Going AbroadISS UK’s Chief Executive Andy Elvin explains why UK social workers travelling abroad is risky business.

Page 4

ISS UK Newsletter Autumn 2009

ISS UK joins CRIN campaign

In September 2009 we signed the

CRIN (Child Rights Information

Network) petition: –

This campaign aims 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. 

ISS UK continues to advocate

children’s rights issues. 

We agree that child rights

NGOs and human rights institutions

for children should do what they can

to encourage and influence positive

changes in the process of hiring

individuals for key child rights job

positions. Thus ensuring that children’s

rights are in fact in the correct hands.

If you would like more information

about this campaign and to take action

yourself then please visit our website at:

www.issuk.org.uk/campaigns

“The future of children’s rights - in whose hands?”

A look ahead...

After a successful first half

of 2009 with the ICP dinner

raising £140,000 and the 50th

World Market raising around

£90,000 we look ahead to what is

coming up in the second half of 2009.

The Kuwait Embassy have kindly offered

ISS UK the use of their Embassy for

a fundraising dinner, which will be

attended by around 70 guests on the 12th

November 2009. The event will help to

increase funds as well as raise awareness

of what the charity does.

ISS UK will have a stall at the

Community Care Live event on 18th

November 2009 at the Business Design

Centre, Islington where our social work

team will be be availablle to talk to

professionals about our work. It would

be great to see you there!

On the 24th November we have the

first coffee party at St.James’s Palace

for the 51st World Market. Invitations

have been sent out so if you represent

an Embassy and have not received it

please contact us immediately. We hope

again to have the support of over 100

diplomatic missions.

And finally... on 26th January 2010 ISS UK

will be holding a one day training event

‘Safeguarding children across borders -

Challenges for good practice. ‘ Our aim

is to help practitioners to find solutions

in the best interest of the child when

safeguarding children across borders.

Please also note that:

ISS UK(International Social Service of the UK)

Unit 1.11 Canterbury Court1-3 Brixton RoadLondon SW9 6DE

020 7735 8941www.issuk.org.ukinfo@issuk.org.uk

ISS UK is changing its name to

Children & Families Across Borders

More details will follow in our next newsletter.