Dear supporters,

We've been quiet on this petition for a while. As we all weather the storms of Covid-19 and Brexit, there has not been much good news around, and we didn't want to add to that. However, we wanted to update you all, and pass on the nuggets of positive news that have helped us in coping with the bad. So, here comes the update!

As we officially exited the European Union on the last day of 2020, it became clear that, while the UK will continue to reunite refugee children with their families here, this will not be subject to the same procedures as when we were in the EU. This includes child refugee reunion no longer being a mandatory commitment, and no longer involving an appeals process.

With this petition, and alongside other campaigners, we have been fighting hard for reunion to be made mandatory and to include a working appeals system. We are not there yet, and although the struggle has become more uphill, we are not giving up.

We also recently learnt that the UK will be closing the Dubs scheme, which had offered a lifeline to those unaccompanied refugee children with no family links, to be resettled in the UK. The article linked to this update provides more information, and a separate petition is campaigning for the government to reopen the route for refugee children without family - you can find the link here.

In lighter news, the government has committed to conducting a review of safe and legal routes to asylum. This is a really positive step, and is thanks to the hard work of committed MPs, Lords and organisations such as Safe Passage. We hope it will provide important recommendations and assist in changing our currently unfit system.

Here is a link for more information on some of the legal changes in relation to refugee family reunion and Brexit: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9031/

If you're still reading this update - thanks for sticking with us. While small concessions have been made, it has not been the most positive few months. We still believe that brighter things are ahead - we know this because ordinary people like you are willing to stand up and speak out against injustice. And countless people are tirelessly fighting for causes like refugee reunion every day. You may not hear from us as frequently from now on, but we will still be campaigning for this cause.

We hope you are all keeping well, and wish you a brighter 2021.

Melissa and Hannah x