Leading charities in the UK are warning that the family reunion system is broken, leading to more dangerous Channel crossings. Over 2,700 unaccompanied minors crossed the Channel last year, highlighting the system’s failures.
Families like Khaled’s show how bad the system is. Khaled was separated from his eldest son for nine years because of delays. His family had to wait eight long months for a decision on their reunion application. Even though the family reunion scheme was meant to help, it now has huge backlogs, leaving many families waiting and worried.
These delays cause more than just waiting. Children who are waiting to be reunited with their families often suffer from serious mental health issues. They might become withdrawn, start self-harming, or have other mental health problems. The UK’s strict policies make it even harder for separated families to come back together.
With long waits and little hope, some families turn to desperate measures like crossing the Channel with the help of smugglers. Khaled’s son decided to make a dangerous journey because he lost faith in the legal process. Without safe and legal ways to reunite, many people take risky paths.
Safe Passage International and the Refugee Council are pushing for urgent changes. They want faster decision-making so families don’t have to wait so long. They also want to fix the rules that stop families from reuniting, like the ones that affect Afghan refugees and children in the UK who want to bring their parents or siblings.
With an election coming up, these charities are working harder to change migration policies and fix these problems. They say it’s important to act quickly to stop more suffering and help families reunite safely and quickly. Even with political changes, it’s crucial to keep promises to vulnerable refugees and support humanitarian principles.