Migration

This chapter considers issues arising in the assessment of families in which members have migrated to the UK. About 15% of the UK population was born overseas. Some of these families will be represented in referrals to expert witnesses in family proceedings, requiring familiarity with relevant law and issues of culture, language, forced migration and asylum. Monitoring of potential bias is essential. Skills in partnership working with interpreters may need to be developed and extra time factored into the assessment process. Migrants’ application for resident status in the UK may intersect with private law proceedings under the seven-year residence rule. Whilst asylum and migration claims may arise in the family court, they are not handled therein.