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We are here to support children and their families seeking sanctuary in the United Kingdom.
Our Helpline provides emotional and practical support as well as advice and signposting to children, young people and their families.
You will be allocated a dedicated Advisor who will work with you over a series of calls to ensure that you have someone to talk to, and access to all the support that you need. They can also offer practical support such as food vouchers and make onward referrals.
Calls are confidential and we will not share personal information with anyone else, unless we believe that you or someone else is in danger.
We welcome referrals from professionals via our referral form, as well as direct contact from children, young people and families by telephone or email.
Funded by Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities we can offer free therapeutic support to children and young people aged 21 and under, and their parents/carers, on the Ukraine and Afghanistan pathways who are living in England. Find out more below.
The Helpline is open:
Monday – Friday 10.00am-8.00pm
Saturday 10.00am-3.00pm
Therapeutic support for children and parents
Virtual Youth Space
Getting in touch with our team
To contact us, or refer someone to the helpline (with their consent), you can do so via:
Freephone: 0808 156 9877
Email: RefugeeFamilyHelpline@barnardos.org.uk
What you can expect
What happens when I call the helpline?
You will receive a response from a friendly Helpline Advisor who will talk to you about what you or your family are experiencing. They will listen to you and help you decide what kind of support and advice you need. With your agreement, the Helpline Advisor could have several calls with you, and they can arrange to call you back at a time suitable to you.
What if I am deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired
You can still contact us using Relay UK
1) Download the Relay UK app https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/download-app.html
2) Dial 18001 followed by 0800 151 2605
If you’re using a smartphone with the Relay UK app, 18001 is automatically included before the number you want to dial.
3) Go back to the app - On the Relay UK app, the ‘Join’ call prompt will appear once your call is connected. If the app has timed-out while you’ve been dialling the number, tap or click on the connection status circle / indicator at the top of the app window to reconnect.
4) Start the conversation - When the person you’re calling answers, the Relay Assistant (RA) will introduce the call and explain how the Relay UK service works if necessary. The RA will then type the other person’s conversation for you to read in the app as needed. You can either type your reply or just speak through the phone as normal.
5) Finish the call -When you’ve finished your conversation, end the call on your phone or from within the app. You’ll be asked if you want to save your conversation, then you can close the app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
How to answer a call using the app?
As long as you’re connected to the internet, you can open the app as you answer a call.
- Open the Relay UK app.
- You’ll see a prompt to ‘Join’ the call. (if no prompt appears, try tapping / clicking on the connection status circle / indicator)
- Click Join and start your conversation.
Who will I speak to?
Our dedicated staff and volunteers have prior professional experience of delivering services to children, adults and their families from these communities. Staff are specially trained to provide emotional support, information and advice.
When you contact us, a member of the team will greet you and tell you their name. Our main aim is to provide you with support, information and advice, so they will ask you questions about what you are experiencing. If you would like counselling, the Helpline Advisor can arrange for one of our therapists to contact you to discuss further.
Will what I say be private and confidential?
The Helpline offers a confidential service, which means that we will not tell anyone what you have shared with us. You can trust us to keep your conversation private. Sometimes when we are really worried about yours or someone else’s safety we will need to tell someone, so that they can make sure that everyone is kept safe.
We will have to tell someone if:
- We believe that your life, or someone else’s life, is in danger
- You tell us that someone is harming or abusing you or someone else
- You tell us that you are seriously harming another person
- You tell us that you or someone else is being hurt, or if someone can’t understand what is happening to them
- You ask us to tell someone
You can tell us as little or as much as you want to. We might ask if you want to share your name and some other details about yourself, but it’s up to you if you would like to do this.
Just because you give us some details does not mean that we will share this with anyone.
What happens if you are accessing therapy?
The Helpline Advisor can arrange for you to speak to one of our therapists to have eight therapy sessions, and further sessions could be offered if required. Sessions will take place over the phone or web either once or twice a week, depending on your needs.
What kind of therapy do you offer?
We are a team of specialist workers with experience of working with the communities we support. Our team of specialist advisors and therapists work in a culturally informed manner and are knowledgeable about the lived experiences of adults and children from these communities.
The team is honoured to be part of this unique service and are equipped to support the complexity of issues that young people and adults face.
What happens at the end?
Once we have agreed with you that no further support or advice is needed, we will end our work with you. With your agreement, the Helpline Advisor would email you a link to provide anonymous feedback on the service you have received.
This feedback is important as we want to provide a high-quality service.
Can I call you back again?
Yes, you can always contact us again if you require further advice and support.