Events

Monday 20 June 2-6pm PBL Suite, LMB Building, University of York East Campus, York A celebration and launch of our Year 3 evaluation of the Breaking the Chains project plus materials created by young Immigration Champions to support and reach out to professionals and other young asylum seekers in their asylum journey. Not to be missed following the presentation of findings and launch of materials will be Albanian dancing at 4pm, and a shared meal/picnic from 5pm. To register please use the Eventbrite page: https://btcyorkcelebrationandlaunch.eventbrite.co.uk

Looking at the past, present and future challenges that prevent young Albanians seeking asylum in the UK from finding protection. With expert key speakers and a panel of young people, after refreshments two workshops will focus on key issues: Using learning to inform challenges to the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (aimed at lawyers and legal advisors) Working successfully with young people from Albania (aimed at social workers, foster carers and modern slavery key workers) The event will be held at UCL London from 12.3o-4.30pm. For more information and to book tickets see: https://stillwalkingatightrope.eventbrite.co.uk

Free online training seminar for legal practitioners delivered by Christopher Cole and Kathryn Cronin, about how to successfully run complex asylum cases, using the lens of young Albanian asylum claims, which are often considered some of the most challenging to run. Christopher Cole is a freelance consultant solicitor who specialises in complex Asylum and Human Rights cases and sits as a fee-paid judge at the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration & Asylum Chamber). Christopher was partner and Head of Immigration at Parker Rhodes Hickmotts until September 2020. Kathryn Cronin is a barrister and former academic with some 39 years’ advocacy, policy and research experience. She was joint head of Garden Court Chambers from 2013 to 2017 and has lectured and published on international children’s law. She is well known for her representation of separated children, child asylum seekers and child victims of trafficking. The seminar will cover: areas such as credibility, sufficiency of protection and internal relocation, certification, liaison with the country of origin, and will also include the participation of young asylum-seekers from Shpresa Programme. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers. To register and for more details, please check the Eventbrite page: https://making-complex-cases-work-for-you.eventbrite.co.uk

In October new research was released that considers how Home Office delays put young unaccompanied asylum-seekers at risk of trafficking. Lawyers who are thinking about challenging delays by judicial review will find the report to be useful evidence. On Tuesday 30 November from 5-6pm we will be holding an online seminar aimed at legal practitioners, with experts from MiCLU and Garden Court Chambers who will look at how the report can be potentially used in court. The seminar will include the participation of young asylum-seekers from Shpresa Programme and will cover: An overview of the report findings Practical tips about how to use the report in submissions/court Strategy/tactics for the best prospects of the report underpinning delay challenges in specific cases or types of cases The seminar is part of a wider project: Breaking the Chains, a partnership project dedicated to improving outcomes for Albanian children and young people seeking asylum in the UK. For the seminar presentations and materials, click here.

Does the Home Office increase the risk of human trafficking by allowing lengthy delays to occur in its administration of asylum and trafficking decisions for unaccompanied and separated children? New research by Christine Beddoe examines the experiences and views of young Albanian asylum-seeking children in the UK as well as key professionals who work with them. It finds that the result of increasing Home Office delays is that highly vulnerable children and young adults are facing greater risk of exploitation and trafficking within the UK, specifically to labour exploitation and criminal exploitation. The system is in effect pushing children into the arms of traffickers. And, as a consequence, the UK government is failing in its legal obligations to protect the victims and potential victims of trafficking. Download the research here: https://miclu.org/into-the-arms-of-traffickers.

Launch of the Year 2 Evaluation for the Breaking the Chains project plus a new paper looking at challenges of working remotely with young asylum seekers. Lawyers and academics working on the project will present key learnings from the project about how effective legal representation can be provided to children and young people vulnerable to exploitation and vulnerable children, and what more is needed to create effective change. Caseworkers from MiCLU also present a new paper written in collaboration with the young people on the project, Zoe Given-Wilson of Royal Holloway University London, and David Neale of Garden Court Chambers. Their research looks at the challenges of working with young asylum seekers remotely, makes recommendations for the different parties involved, and details resources for working with extremely vulnerable young people remotely. The young people involved in the project will host the event and speak about their experiences. Click here for the programme. To register click here.

An add-on to our series of 'Breaking the Chains' legal seminars centred around representing child and young asylum seekers. David Neale, Legal Researcher at Garden Court Chambers, will argue that the old country guidance case of DM is not an accurate reflection of the current position, and that many Albanians who fear domestic violence at the hands of their families will not be able to avail themselves of a sufficiency of state protection. This includes some boys and young men. David will also be exploring the vulnerability of some domestic violence survivors to trafficking/exploitation on return, even where they have not been trafficked in the past. This seminar will be useful to lawyers representing Albanian nationals and in assessing merits in Albanian asylum claims, including those who are challenging certification decisions by Judicial Review. To register, click here. To view the seminar paper click here. For more information about the Breaking the Chains project, click here.  

The fourth in a series of four 'Breaking the Chains' legal seminars centred around representing child and young asylum seekers. Children and young people from Albania will give an insight into this Balkan country with a history of clan violence, blood feuds, revenge killings and honour based violence. Little is understood about this source country for one of the largest groups of trafficked woman and children to reach the UK. This seminar presents an opportunity for lawyers and other practitioners to increase their understanding of life in the Balkans from those with lived experience. With MiCLU's Gurpinder Kaur Khanba and Esme Madill, and Shpresa Programme’s Immigration Champions. To register, click here. For more information about the Breaking the Chains project, click here. 

The third in a series of four 'Breaking the Chains' legal seminars centred around representing child and young asylum seekers. Kathryn Cronin, Senior Barrister at Garden Court Chambers, will explore the challenges in working with children and young people in the hostile environment. She will use examples from her own work to identify best practice in working with this vulnerable client group. This seminar will be of help to all those representing children and young people.   To register, click here. For more information about the Breaking the Chains project, click here.    To view the recording of the seminar, click here.

The second in a series of four 'Breaking the Chains' legal seminars centred around representing child and young asylum seekers. Gurpinder Kaur Khanba, Casework Supervisor at the Breaking the Chains project, will highlight the critical role of expert evidence in Albanian claims including the need for frontloading. This seminar will assist those seeking to secure funding for expert reports at an early stage from the Legal Aid Agency.  To register, click here. For more information about the Breaking the Chains project, click here.  To view the recording of the seminar, click here. To view the handout click here.