Helping safety be returned
KRAN’s Christmas appeal continues with real-life stories about our services. This is from Paul, our Complex Caseworker (and is just one of many examples of the work he does).
I started working with one young man - let’s call him S - after he had been refused asylum and then refused on appeal. This meant he had become appeals-rights’ exhausted - all his first-stage legal options were exhausted - and the only other option was to submit a fresh claim.
As a care leaver, S (aged 19 and from Afghanistan) had what is called a human rights’ assessment by the local authority and was given notice to leave his accommodation. His small monetary allowance was withdrawn as well, and this is when I stepped in.
I made a referral to a solicitor, who submitted a fresh asylum claim. With no access to public funds (such as Universal Credit) and with no accommodation, S was destitute and completely reliant on charities, including KRAN - he was helped by our destitution fund.
I referred the case to the charity Refugees at Home, which found him a very good long-term host in the Canterbury area where he stayed while his solicitor submitted the fresh claim.
Four to five months later, this claim was accepted and S got refugee status - and with that, came the right to go back into care-leaver accommodation. I dealt with the local authority on that, plus his applications for benefits and a college place.
Six months later, S moved to the south coast where he now has a stable job in hospitality and is doing very well.
I was involved with S’s case from a few months in, but in total it took about a year. This had a huge impact on S, both emotionally and psychologically - he was at an incredibly low point.
He came to this country for refuge and his house - the place where he wanted to be safe - was taken away from him. He had no means of support and no means of getting work.
Urgent and speedy interventions at this vulnerable time for S resulted in him having that safety returned.
Please help our casework to continue by donating to our Christmas campaign. You can do this by clicking the link at the top of the page. Here are some examples of what your money can buy:
£25 = train ticket for a young person to attend a solicitor’s appointment in London
£40 = essential food items for a young person for a week
£100 = basic household equipment for a young person leaving foster care and going to independent living.