New family returns process launched
The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) has announced a new four-stage process for returning families to their countries of origin. Immigration Minister, Damian Green, has announced this along with a new Independent Family Returns Panel which will be part of the new process.The UKBA and Mr Green are using the announcement to focus on how the new process will help ‘ensure the welfare of children at all times’. The four stages of the process will be:
- new specialist family case owners within the UK Border Agency who will work with families and take responsibility for decision making. Also the development of pilot schemes to test new ways of working with families and continuing involvement with the UNHCR (the UK Refugee Agency) to test and improve the quality of decision making
- ‘assisted returns’, including family conferences to discuss the family’s return home, welfare and medical concerns and the availability of tailored assisted voluntary return packages to help families resettle upon their return
- ‘required returns’ for families who fail to take up assistance packages, allowing them to remain in the community, but giving two weeks notice to board their flight home and allowing self check-in without the need for enforcement action
- an ‘ensured return’, as a last resort for families who refuse to depart the UK. The new Family Returns Panel will advise the UK Border Agency on return plans to ensure the welfare of the child is taken properly into account. Options will include a form of limited notice removal, the use of open accommodation, and – as a last resort where families resolutely fail to comply – family friendly, pre-departure accommodation.
The new Family Returns Panel will provide specific advice to the UKBA to help ensure that families are returned to their countries of origin as compassionately as possible. The members of the new panel have been appointed on an interim basis, with an open recruitment process planned to begin later in the year.
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