annual review 09-10

Children and Families Across Borders

Annual Review2009/2010

Chairman’s IntroductionFrom the CEO; What CFAB doesOur work in 2009/10 The ISS network; Core WorkCFAB Social Work Services; Advice LineChild TraffickingMediation and Abduction Family Reunion; Travel Assistance ProjectChildren in CareUnaccompanied MinorsForced MarriageTraining; Lobbying for changeEventsFinancial Summary 2009ConclusionOur team; Thank you

Contents12,34,56,78,910,1112,1314,1516,1718,1920,2122,2324,25262729,30

Chairman’s Introduction

CFAB Annual Review 09/10 | 1

The year of 2009 was deliberately targeted by the Board of Trustees as a time of significant change. Our view was that we had made substantial progress in recent years by improving our financial base, increasing staff numbers, and promoting our specialised services with modern marketing literature and methods. The time had come to focus strongly on rebuilding our executive and social work team with particular emphasis on UK statutory knowledge at both managerial and working level. This process is now complete and for the first time in my 6 years as Chairman we now have a structure that devolves operational matters to the CEO while the Board focus on policy and governance. I am delighted to see that these changes are already producing results with demand for our specialised intercountry social work services growing rapidly. At the same time our advice and training service, largely funded by the DCSF, has provided advice to almost 1500 practitioners, double the number eighteen months ago.

During 2010 we are committed to engaging more closely with Local Authorities and other service users. We have launched a programme of visits by our CEO and senior staff and on 29th April our Patron, Lord Laming, will chair the inaugural CFAB International Child Protection Lecture aimed at senior officials in central and local government.

Readers of this Annual Review may not be aware that CFAB is entirely dependent on its own fundraising efforts. We charge statutory bodies for our services but this covers a fraction of our costs. Despite the recession 2009 was the most successful year we have ever experienced in terms of income-generation via our events, and the early signs are that 2010 will do equally well. The 50th Anniversary World Market in May 2009 and the hugely successful International Child Protection Dinners at the French and Spanish Ambassador’s Residences respectively were particular highlights. We are truly fortunate to have the assistance of so many wonderful volunteers and supporters to make all this happen.

Globalisation is a ‘real word’ to every parent, relative or child that is experiencing a social welfare issue involving the UK and another country. CFAB exists solely to address and solve such issues. The demand and the challenge appears to rise every year, reflecting the fact that the UK is a world centre of international business and family life. The Trustees and Staff at CFAB have never felt more confident in our ability to help vulnerable people in often desperate personal circumstances.

Douglas Lewis CBEChairman

From the CEO

2 | CFAB Annual Review 09/10

2009 was a year of fundamental change for Children and Families Across Borders. Over the year we:

- Changed our name on January 1st 2010 from ISS UK to CFAB- Employed a new CEO, took on 5 new social workers and the CEO’s PA and modernised our social work model in terms of practice and process- Re-focussed our work to concentrate on areas in which we have expertise and can offer a service unavailable through any other UK organisation

Through this we have dropped areas of work duplicated elsewhere, for example post adoption tracing, and concentrated on key international issues in child protection, for example private

The International Social Service Network, of which CFAB is the UK branch, offers an unparalleled resource to ensure that child protection and child welfare information can be shared appropriately across international borders.

Patterns of international migration pose a huge challenge to social work professionals and CFAB will remain at the forefront of promoting the best interests of children when they face welfare issues that cross international borders.

fostering, children in care and child trafficking.

Our new team has extensive experience of statutory UK social work settings allied to overseas experience in countries including the USA, India, Canada, Australia and Germany.

Though 2009 was a year of change much was also achieved in terms of obtaining the best outcomes for children. Our work on behalf of statutory bodies increased by 25% and we look forward to offering more services, and helping more children and families in the coming year.

On the fundraising side CFAB enjoyed another successful year of events supported by our hard working trustees and with the generous support of the London Diplomatic Community. It was also the 50th anniversary of the CFAB World Market which was a fantastic event.

What CFAB does We live in a society that is increasingly diverse, with families often separated across borders. War, famine, divorce/separation and ethnic persecution all take their toll on the family especially on the children swept up by those changes. Children can become homeless, abandoned or abused, orphaned or separated from parents by international borders.

CFAB is a unique charity, committed to protecting vulnerable children throughout the world. We believe children have the right to be loved, valued and protected.

In 2009 we helped over 1000 children rebuild relationships, return to their families and reintegrate into society. Our focus is on children who are deprived of a happy life with their families, in particular children at risk, unaccompanied minors, and victims of child trafficking and abduction.


Our work in 2009/10


CFAB continues to work on both a micro and a macro level: providing casework services and advice directly to individuals and families in partnership with relevant authorities, as well as delivering training about intercountry social work and seeking to influence policy and practice in the UK.

Through our international network of partners, we facilitated the exchange of information across borders and worked to improve the range and value of professional intercountry social work services offered to children, adults and families facing social, legal or personal issues with an international dimension.

In 2009 the countries we worked most closely and frequently with included Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Hong Kong, Israel, Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand. Altogether our work involved 150 countries in

total.

We dealt with 348 new cases in 2009, 198 cases referred from the UK

and 150 referred from overseas. The majority of our case work concerned child welfare concerns,

carrying out police and social service checks, alleged child abuse/neglect cases, and organising placements with parents and other relatives.

In 2009 we also delivered the final year of the

London Children’s Project (page 22) which focused on

raising awareness of international social work issues in the London

area.


Those who benefitted from our work in 2009 included:

Children in need of protection

Children and adults in the adoption triangle where at least one party lives abroad

Children separated from one parent as a result of divorce, separation or abduction

Children separated from both parents, such as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, trafficked children or children in care

Vulnerable adults

Casework 2009(Total new cases: 348)

Advice Line 2009 (Total enquiries: 1429)

10%

14%

18%

20%

38%

14%

10%

15%

11%

50%

The ISS networkCFAB is part of a global network of social welfare agencies, the ISS Network. We have partners in over 150 countries, spanning five continents and staffed by more than 350 caseworkers, specialists, legal counsellors and support staff.

Our global network enables us to share vital information on child and adult welfare issues across borders, and refer individual cases successfully between countries. Faced with the growing need for transnational interventions, the network provides services that are unified globally by our shared commitment to the wellbeing of families and children. Working with locally qualified people also ensures that culturally appropriate actions are taken in each country. The coordination of all the ISS units is overseen by the ISS General Secretariat in Geneva. The secretariat also hosts the International Resource Centre which acts as the research and policy arm of the network.

CFAB



At all times we work towards encouraging professionals to focus on the importance of ensuring the child in care has every chance of living within their extended family overseas in accord with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We ensure that assessments are carried out in a child’s home country to address issues of safety should they be returned, or wish to return, to their country of origin.

A free service forprofessionals and individuals inthe UK. In 2009, we dealt with almost 1500 enquiries.

We offer training to social work professionals on all areas of international social work. 250 staff accessed the training in 2009, and in 2010 we will be offering the training free to at least 40 Local Authorities.

Over 15000 unaccompanied asylum seeking children have entered the UK since 2000. We offer advice to Local Authorities and the young people on establishing contact with familiy members abroad and on obtaining reports from the child’s home country.

Our C o r e W o r k

This work is designed toensure urgent childprotection information is passed effectively across international borders.

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We run the unique Libya project which reunites mothers and extended family members with children taken back to Libya by their fathers following separation or divorce.

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UK residents originally from overseas may obtain financial and social welfare assistance in returning to their country of ori-gin. We have run this project for the Home Office for 39 years. The scheme is entirely voluntary, and typically accessed by people with better prospects for care and family support overseas.

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CFAB’s Social Work ServicesCFAB’s social workers are trained and qualified, with either local or overseas experience.

The bulk of our work is international case work management. We operate in collaboration with the courts, local authorities, and private individuals, providing services on:

o Family separation & promoting contacto Child protection concerns for children crossing borderso Child abduction & traffickingo Private fostering and contacting parents overseaso Mediation work to promote contacto Progressing assessment requests of children in need of reunification and permanency arrangements

CFAB is working with children’s social care departments to raise awareness about the issues facing children and families who cross borders. April 2010 will see the Inaugural Child Protection Lecture held with guest speaker Lord Laming.

We monitor alladvice line enquiries,

allowing us to track the impact of increasing the capacity of this service. In 2010 we

anticipate a 15% increase in referrals on the 1429 made in 2009.

Our Advice Line 020 7735 8941

Individuals facing child welfare issues with an international dimension, as well as professional bodies such as Local Authorities, Cafcass, and child and family solicitors, are all regular users of our Advice Line Service. In the last year almost 1500 clients were offered advice about a diverse range of problems that crossed a national frontier.

On a typical day our advice line service will receive between 8 and 15 inquiries, covering issues such as:

• A young person being picked up by the police who discover she has been trafficked into the country and forced into prostitution • A local authority seeking an assessment on a family member living overseas as a carer for a child in local authority care in the UK• A local authority wishing to pass on child protection information regarding a child who has travelled abroad • A parent calling to report that their child has been abducted by the other parent and taken abroad, seeking our help in establishing that the child is okay and wanting to instigate contact.

This service is part funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families which has provided £86, 245 in 2009/10 and pledged a similar amount in 2010/11.

Free to all callers, run by our social workers


Child TraffickingA trafficked child is defined as

A child has been trafficked if he or she has been moved within a country, or across borders, whether by force or not, with the purpose of exploiting the child.

According to the sixth report of session 2008-2009 from the House of Commons, there are an estimated 330 children trafficked every year in the UK. About 60% of suspected child victims in Local Authority Care go missing and are not subsequently found. It is a hugely profitable industry that constitutes one of the gravest forms of child abuse in the world. Children may find themselves forced into prostitution, drug

smuggling, domestic slavery, benefit fraud, early marriage, or exploitative labour. Many of these children come from West Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, often lured away by promises of jobs and with no idea of what awaits them.

At CFAB we work at reporting child trafficking cases and advising on the best practices to handle such cases. CFAB is often asked to trace and establish contact with the parents or other family members in the country of origin; to establish their views and understanding of the situation of the child and to assess their capacity to offer ongoing care and protection to the child. If appropriate, CFAB will help to reunite the child with the family, and ensure that they are given necessary support.


“”

Andreea

12 year old Andreea from Romania came to the UK when she was 10 with her uncle and started school. After a year the uncle could not take care of her and passed Reshma to the responsibility of another Bangladeshi women who was known to the police as a local prostitute. When Andreea was spotted with this woman she was picked up by authorities and placed in foster care. A Local Authority contacted CFAB and asked for assistance in finding Andreea’s family in Romania. Our correspondent recently reported that Andreea was brought to the UK for a better life under private fostering arrangements but in reality had actually been sold by the uncle to recover the cost of her education and living expenses. Andreea continues to be with her foster parents, while the Local Authorities along with CFAB are conducting assessments on parents and family members in Romania for Andreea’s safe return.

Child abduction and the illegal retention of children in other countries remains a growing problem in a world where international movement is increasing. Sometimes it is not even a “trans-cultural” issue but a manifestation of relationship breakdown. When this happens, international co-operation is vital in the resolution of family conflict, and to ensure that the best interests of the child are put first. Abductions usually occur when one parent feels aggrieved by the separation or custody and contact arrangements and removes the child from one country to another without informing or getting the permission of the other parent.

The established legal mechanisms are by no means universal and even where they do exist they can be slow in reaching a resolution.

CFAB is often asked for assistance when a child has been abducted and we have found that

Abduction & Mediationmediation can often be the key to a more successful and lasting resolution which benefits everybody. We are able to work closely with our correspondent agencies abroad or directly with the private individuals themselves to help understand the complex issues of each individual situation. Our highly specialised intercountry social workers encourage the parents to consider what is in the best interests of the child involved, and the importance of maintaining a dialogue with the other party.

During the past year our advice line has seen a large increase in enquiries concerning child abduction, in addition to specific requests for mediation. In 2009 we received 51 enquiries from social workers and private individuals regarding this issue.


Abduction & Mediation Laleh At just 4 years old Laleh was abducted from the UK and taken to live in Iran by her father. All contact with her mother was severed.

The breakthrough came 14 years later when Laleh learnt about CFAB and contacted our office in Iran to see if we could help her establish the whereabouts of her mother.

At this point our unique global network came into play. Working effectively across different cultures and legal systems, whilst handling negotiations with due sensitivity, CFAB was able to secure a very successful reunion a year later. Our Intercountry social workers at CFAB encouraged the parents to consider the best interests of the child involved, and listen to what the child’s wishes were at all times.

Laleh and her mother are now in permanent contact and Laleh hopes to visit the UK next year to improve her English.

Libya Project(follow ab-Large numbers of children move, with or without their families, across national borders. Some of these children are extremely vulnerable, such as those being abused, or those who have been trafficked or abducted, and are in need of protection.

Although the importance of protecting

children in an international context is recognised by some legal instruments, there are few, if any, mechanisms in place to implement these policies. In practice, for example, there is little awareness of how to handle cases in which vulnerable children leave the UK and how to engage with the appropriate overseas authorities to follow up concerns.

At ISS UK we provide specific knowledge of international frameworks as well as the systems in place to identify those children at risk. We can

Family reunion in LibyaAfter the success of 2008, it was extremely unfortunate that it was not possible for the planned 2009 visit to proceed despite all the usual preparation. The last minute cancellation left all the families upset and out of pocket as they had all made arrangements for flights and holidays. The opportunity to build on previous progress and try to address new cases was sadly lost. A delay of a year can be significant in many cases. A few did eventually manage to travel after making their own arrangements, though none of these were ever straightforward.

The expected group would again have been in the 20’s, and again reflected the international nature of the problem, including families from France, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands, as well as 2 new UK cases.

CFAB’s previous success and particular relationship with Libya has also been reflected by requests for our assistance with other types of

cases from our Libyan partner, the Wa’atasemu Charity Asssociation, the People’s Bureau in London, the ISS international network, UK Local Authorities and private individuals. In 2009 we assisted one local authority in placing a child with his mother in Libya, and have been asked by another to travel to Libya to provide an assessment for the High Court of family members for a possible placement of children in care.

Sky News have asked to film 2010’s visit and following a recent visit to Libya arrangements are going ahead. We are particularly pleased that our Libyan partner has told us that they will assist with legal intervention in cases where fathers or their families refuse to co-operate as is anticipated in a few situations this year.

So, after last year’s disappointment we are now confident that the future will see more positive developments.


“shipping” they would receive much less than a failed asylum-seeker or “overstayer” agreeing to a “voluntary return”.

The trend of recent years which has seen a rise in applicants particularly from Iraq and Afghanistan and other conflict areas has continued as circumstances in many of those countries gradually improve. Nevertheless, the majority of these applicants are those who have been less successful in adapting to life in the UK, and many are isolated, and lonely. Some have suffered with various Mental Health problems, and require inter-agency co-operation.

We believe that a more generous level of assistance is essential for the proper operation of the scheme. Even at the previous levels of assistance in most cases the Exchequer begins to make savings 3 months after departure, therefore we are endeavouring to have the scheme transferred to a more appropriate Ministry.


Travel Assistance SchemeIn 2009 we had 72 enquiries which resulted in 32 returned applications. 11 cases (14 individuals) were approved for travel and 2 cases required escort.

2009 has probably been the most difficult since the scheme was introduced in the 1970 Immigration Act. For the first time, the project’s budget has been limited by the Home Office which has had to make “savings” in its overall spending. This meant that the money available to send approved applicants home was exhausted

by the end of November. Consequently, the numbers of applicants leaving

could have been greater.

The review of our grant arrangement has seen a significant reduction in the money available to applicants who have “settled status” in the UK and are wanting

to return to their country of origin. In the majority of cases or where an approved applicant has no household goods or personal effects requiring

Marek Ganther,

Senior Project Manager

This is a key area of international work that CFAB is planning to concentrate more on in the future.

The number of looked after children is rising every year in the UK with 60,900 children in care on 31st March 2009. CFAB is able to support Local Authorities in assessing potential carers for children who have relatives abroad, thus enabling the child to remain within the family unit. This helps to ensure children are not placed in care or remain in care homes unnecessarily. At all times CFAB responds to the child’s rights, needs and best interests

In the last 12 months CFAB has received 87 referrals for assessments on extended family or friends. There were 46 referrals from Local Authorities in the UK and 41 referrals from Local Authorities abroad asking for assessments in the UK. Thanks to our unique global network we were able to obtain these assessments and reunite children with their families.

Children in CareWe also provide support and advice for the child in their new placement, and to the kinship carers/private foster placement.


Christopher

Christopher was living with his terminally ill mother in Germany. The Youth Welfare Office in Germany needed to make appropriate future care plans for the child after his mother’s death. The German Court asked for ISS Germany’s assistance in assessing the father’s home circumstances in the UK. CFAB was contacted by ISS Germany to carry out this assessment. Unfortunately the Local Authority refused to assist in this process therefore CFAB undertook the home study assessment. After a court hearing the decision was made for the child to live with his father. Christopher is settling in well with his father.

ISS UK Annual Review 2008 | 19

country of origin are safe and suitable for the child to return to.

In 2009 CFAB helped 4 unaccompanied minors return home and this is an area of work we will look to increase over the next few years.

Unaccompanied MinorsThroughout the world a significant number of children are forced to seek asylum. CFAB is often contacted by Local Authorities or the Border and Immigration Agencies to assist them with care plans for unaccompanied minors that are living here in the UK. We are often requested to provide information about the circumstances of a minor’s family in his or her country of origin. Some of the enquiries are made with the view to re-establishing contact between the family members and some with the view to returning the child home.

CFAB will only become involved if it is felt that contact with family members or family re-unification is in the child’s best interest. Sometimes family members do not want to have contact with the child, because of fear of persecution, shame, guilt and the passage of time.

We will always ensure that a child is only returned if the reception arrangements in the

Lucie

Lucie arrived in the UK from Angola and came to the attention of a Local Authority. Lucie said her older sister was coming to join her in the UK, but had only made it as far as Spain. CFAB was contacted by the Local Authority to assist. We were able to contact our Branch in Spain who found that the whole family were in fact in Spain. ISS Spain identified Lucie’s relatives and carried out an assessment on the mother’s living circumstances. CFAB was happy with the family’s circumstances and arranged for Lucie to be reunited with her family in Spain. She only spent a few weeks in care in the UK.


Forced MarriageForced marriage occurs when a male and a female are married against their will and without their consent. It differs from an arranged marriage in which both the male and female consent to their parent’s involvement and choice in choosing a suitable partner, and the end choice always remains with the male and female involved. In forced marriage duress is involved which can include physical, psychological, financial, sexual and emotional pressure.

The government regards forced marriage as an abuse of human rights and a form of domestic abuse and where it affects children and young people, child abuse. In many cases it involves a very young girl.

At CFAB we are able to connect professionals concerned about people at risk of forced marriage and our correspondents across the

world when these forced marriages cross borders. We are able to pass on these concerns to the correct professionals in the countries involved for them to act appropriately.

However, in some countries the definitions of forced marriage and arranged marriage differ from those of the UK. In some countries a marriage is not a forced marriage if the parents consent. Therefore, we encourage professionals in the UK to work with children they suspect may be vulnerable to forced marriage.



Julie aged 11 was voluntarily placed in care after her step brothers locked her up for three days due to her association with a 25 year old man who she knew from Bangladesh. Social services requested an assessment of her mother in Bangladesh. Her mother’s assessment was positive and arrangements were made to reunite the child with her mother.

CFAB then received information regarding the mother’s concerns about the safety of her child, as she had been receiving threats from her daughter’s boyfriend’s family that when she arrived in Bangladesh she would be forced to marry him. The child’s step brothers were also travelling to Bangladesh to arrange the wedding.

This information was shared with the social

services in the UK who arranged for a Forced Marriage Protection Order and a Power of Arrest, indicating that those involved in removing the child from the courts jurisdiction, threatening, intimidating, or harassing the child, or entering into any arrangements of engagement or matrimony either in the jurisdiction or abroad, would be arrested in the UK. This was delivered to the mother in Bangladesh who could then use the documents to inform the persecutors of the consequences of their actions.

In this example we can see a successful partnership between social services in the UK and abroad to safeguard a child, a unique service that CFAB is able to provide.


TrainingCFAB held five very successful training days in 2009 and reached over 250 social work professionals as part of the City Bridge Trust and DCSF funding.

The training took place in London (three events), Peterborough and Leeds and focussed on key issues in international social work including trafficking, unaccompanied asylum seekers, legal and international treaty considerations and child protection. Speakers included eminent QC’s and Barristers, key staff from the Red Cross, NSPCC, Action for Children, the African Families project and the Home Office as well as our staff.

Feedback from each event was excellent and each event included a lively plenary session where participants were encouraged to use current case examples to enhance learning.

In 2010 we are going to take the CFAB road show to Local Authorities. Our aim is to offer free training in international social work issues to all

UK local authorities by the end of 2012.

We are also working with CWDC, CAFCASS and the GSCC to have an international social work module incorporated into all pre and post qualifying social work training.

In 2010 we will also be piloting a student group work project and will be hosting 5 first year students from Brunel University. In this way we hope to increase awareness of international issues and contribute to the development of new social workers. In 2009 we also hosted a Danish student and will do so again in 2010.

Julie’s storyLobbying for Change With the arrival of the new CEO CFAB has stepped up its campaigning and lobbying activities. CFAB is determined to improve outcomes for children

and families separated by international borders by addressing the working practices, legislation and

guidance which disadvantage them.

In 2009 we: • Initiated discussions with CAFCASS on improving the processes in care proceedings where relatives who could care for the child live abroad • Worked with the Family Division of the High Court to improve awareness of international social work issues among the Judiciary • Campaigned to end the practice of UK social workers travelling abroad to undertake assessments. Instead we champion local social workers in each country being commissioned to undertake the work. In 2010 we will build on this work, and focus on: • Improving the oversight and monitoring of private fostering arrangements for overseas children whether they are with relatives or friends. • Children in care in the UK and abroad who have relatives overseas who could offer them a permanent home • Child trafficking • Improving processes for child protection information being passed across borders and • Private fostering of children from overseas

Events


Our annual events programme is key to our fundraising strategy. The money raised from fundraising events accounts for 40% of the charity’s overall turnover which shows how essential it is to the funding of our work.

We are very fortunate and privileged to be able to host fundraising dinners in different Embassies and Ambassador’s Residences across London.

In March 2009 we held our 3rd annual International Child Protection Dinner in the fabulous French Ambassador’s Residence of HE Mr Maurice Gourdault-Montagne which was a great success. In February 2010 our 4th annual International Child Protection Dinner took place at the Spanish Embassy by kind permission of HE Carles Casajuana I Palet and Mrs Margarita Massanet in the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra and surpassed 2009’s total, raising even more money.

Our World Market celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009 with over 100 diplomatic missions supporting us. Our World Market is a unique occasion with stalls from all around the globe selling national items rarely on sale in the UK. We would like to thank Mrs Elizabeth Young who departed as Chairman in 2009 and welcome Mrs Heather Starkey who leads the way for our 51st World Market, which we look forward to on 12th May 2010.

CFAB also hosted an intimate dinner at HE The Ambassador of Kuwait’s Residence in November 2009 which was a wonderfully entertaining evening with a superb champagne reception and dinner, followed by a lively auction overseen by our Chairman.

2010 will see our bi-annual Pro-Am Golf Tournament take place at the magnificent Stoke Park Club, raising money for our charity’s work in the field of international child abduction. We also look forward to new events including a Summer Garden Party and an exclusive fashion show is scheduled for the Autumn.

Financial Summary 2009/2010

28 | ISS UK Annual Review 2008

During the financial year 1st April 2009 to 31st March 2010 CFAB’s income was £685,000. Funds came from a variety of sources including user fees, statutory sources, trusts and grants, events and donations. 2009 also saw the introduction of CFAB’s Fundraising Development Board which will be responsible for identifying and raising funds for future work.

26 | CFAB Annual Review 09/10*Full annual accounts are available on request

Events

Trusts

Government Grants

Service Fees

Donations

Other

In 2009 CFAB expenditure was £775,000. Our reserves were drawn on due to our exceptional year of change. However we were far more effective during this period in ensuring that the major part of our expenditure went into the charity’s core work and projects.

In 2009 we were fortunate to have been supported by generous funders. Many thanks go to: The City Bridge Trust, DCSF, FCO and The Home Office.

Core social work & projects

Governance

Cost of Generating Income

ISS UK Annual Review 2008 | 29*Full annual accounts are available on request

The changes we have made over 2009 with our organisational structure leave us better able and better placed to achieve the best outcomes for the children and families we serve.

Ensuring that the negative aspects of globalisation and modern migration patterns do not disadvantage the children caught up in them is an enormous challenge.

In order to meet this challenge CFAB will continue to improve its advice and casework services and will continue to lobby and work for the changes that will benefit children and families separated across international borders.

Mass migration is a fact of modern life and has bought major advantages in many ways. However for those children adversely affected by it our role is to speak up for them and ensure that their experiences are learnt from.

In 2010 we will strive to achieve positive outcomes for more children, make sure that these children’s voices are heard and that no child is ever ignored.

2009 was a year of real change for Children andFamilies Across Borders.


Our team


CFAB Board of Trustees x 13

Chief Executive OfficerAndy Elvin

Operations ManagerMeena Enawalla

Senior Social WorkersMarek Ganther & Stuart

Barker

Intercountry Social Workers

Heather Solomon-Easton, Stefanie Ahlemann & Prerna

Dhingra

Office ManagerChris Platt

PA to the CEOChristina Turner

Finance & Statistical Officer

Mark Hunt

Events ManagerDarren Moses

Fundraising Volunteers

Fundraising Development Board

Events Committees

With many thanks to...Our patronsHRH Princess AlexandraSir Anthony Figgis KCVO CMGMrs Dalal Al-DuwaisanLord LamingLady Middleton

Our trusteesHarvey McGrath, presidentDouglas Lewis CBE, chairmanSheila Redrupp, treasurerKumari BlakeyLady BrewerMargaret BryerYvette GayfordLiz Grimsey CBE LVORobert Hutchinson CBEPam LouhichiSarah PalmerDr Ali SattaripourAlexander Verdan QC

And also... to all our events and fundraising committees and volunteers who have kindly given their time and dedication

... to London’s Diplomatic Community for their ongoing support

... to all those individuals who have generously donated to CFAB this year

... to our funders and sponsors who provide vital assistance and financial support to our organisation

... the CFAB team in London and all our colleagues around the world

... to Andy, Meena, Marek, Heather, Stefanie, Prerna, and Laura Dix for contributing so much to this review

While we cannot mention everyone here, we would like to thank all those who have contributed to CFAB this year.


CFAB

Unit 1.11 Canterbury Court1-3 Brixton Road

London SW9 6DE

Tel: 020 7735 8941Fax: 020 7582 0696

Email: [email protected]

www.cfab.uk.net

PhotosCover: ©istockphoto.comPage 3: ©istockphoto.comPage 6: ISS SwitzerlandPages 8, 11, 17: ©istockphoto.comPage 18, 20, 22: CFABPage 23: ©istockphoto.comPage 28: Helle Nielsen

Graphics Page 5, 13, 21, 25, 26, 29: Christina Turner Pages 7, 23 : Laura Dix

Printing by Reeds Printers on recycled paper

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