Care experience and family
British Red Cross Report: ‘I returned to life’ why refugee family reunion must be protected
British Red Cross · 2025
About this report
This British Red Cross report explores the experiences of refugee families navigating the UK's family reunion visa system, drawing on interviews with people who have lived experience of separation and reunion, as well as lawyers and caseworkers. It finds that family separation severely harms refugees' mental health and ability to integrate, that hidden costs and long delays push some families towards dangerous journeys, and that women and children left behind face acute risks of violence and exploitation. The report recommends that any future changes to the family reunion route be guided by principles of fairness, prioritising need, flexibility, and efficiency.
Research details
- Methodology
- InterviewMixed methods
- Sample size
- 31
- Sample
- Adults with lived experience of refugee family reunion (sponsors and applicants on Appendix FRP and Appendix CRP visa routes), plus sector stakeholders (lawyers and caseworkers from UK and European organisations); families from Afghanistan, DRC, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.
- Who it's about
- Asylum-seeking & refugee young people
- Place
- UK-wide
- Youth involvement
- Co-produced