2024-03-31-accounts - Global Action On Relocation And Return With Kids

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GlobalARRK: Global Action on Relocation and Return with Kids Charity Number: 1170455

Trustees' Annual Report Period April 2023 – End of March 2024

h t t s : / / w w w . l o b a l a r r k . o r / p g g

REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATION DETAILS

The Trustees

Name Role Date of Appointment Lisa Jane Burden Brain Trustee January 2023 Dr Laura Kean Trustee February 2023 Sophia Lopez Khan Trustee September 2022 Dr Onyoja Momoh Trustee April 2021 Dr Isabel Ruth Lamont Trustee April 2021 Duncan Millard Trustee February 2021 Retired this year: Dr Onyoja Momoh April 2021- October 2023

The Team

Name	Role
Rosalind Osborne	CEO
Amy Carlse	Parent Support Coordinator
Nicola Bradshaw	Project Coordinator
Virginy	Social Media Moderator and Volunteer Befriender
Sarah	Social Media Moderator
Garri	Volunteer Befriender
Jhilmil	Volunteer Befriender
Eleanor	Volunteer Befriender
Merel	Volunteer Befriender
Laura	Mental Health Lead
William	Parent Support Volunteer

Description of Charity's Trusts

Type of Governing Document : Constitution

How the Charity is Constituted: Charitable Incorprated Organisation Trustee Selection Methods : Appointed by the chair and other trustees

Objectives and Activities

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Summary of the Objectives of the Charity as set out in its Governing Document:

The charities objectives are:

To relieve the needs of children and families at risk of, or undergoing, international custody and residence conflict including international parental child abduction, by:

Educating families and the public, raising awareness of the risks of relocating abroad and the possible legal implications for families
Supporting children and parents in need who are ‘stuck’* in a foreign country
Advocating for the rights and best interests of children and parents who are ‘stuck’* abroad
Providing families with information and signposting to mediation, counselling and other support services
Encouraging and undertaking research and study into such issues and publicising the useful results

*The term ‘Stuck’ means: unable to lawfully return to live in the country they consider ‘home’ with their children after an international residence / custody dispute with the other parent

Mission :

To prevent international custody disputes and reduce their devastating impact on children and parents stuck in a foreign country by raising awareness and connecting parents to support services to meet their needs.

Vision :

A world where few families go through international custody crisis but when it does happen the family have all the support they need

Values :

We work with Compassion, Courage and Persistence to reach our mission!

Summary of the Main Activities Undertaken for the Public Benefit in relation to GlobalARRK's Objects:

GlobalARRK (GA) is the only charity that supports migrant single parents who are unable to return home with their children after a relationship breakdown and child residence dispute. Incredibly, these stuck parents and their children can find themselves stranded in a country where they struggle to survive but cannot legally leave to go to live in their home country with their children.

Apart from GA there are no specialist support services available for them. We help those stuck parents who are isolated, with little or no income, often dealing with domestic abuse, struggling with their mental health and with little understanding of the international law that traps them in that country. In some cases, primary carer parents and children can become separated if the parent feels that they have no choice but to go back to their home country without their child, which is particularly devastating as with the right support, there is usually a way for the primary carer and child to stay together.

" I am deeply traumatised. I am in debt fighting to keep my son safe. I am isolated from all who love me. I have no safety net for support here. I am burnt out. I do not see a positive outcome.

The majority of stuck families have complex needs: 70% report mental health problems typically depression; suicide; 85% report domestic abuse which is often prolonged as they feel they can’t leave the perpetrator to go ‘home’; 70% report financial difficulties; 80% feel isolated.

GlobalARRK provides free emotional and practical support with a call back helpline; email and messaging; online support groups; befriending service; signposting to expert legal support and legal factsheets. This year we have launched additional services: a 12 week ‘Recovery Toolkit’ course; monthly legal clinic; a lived experience group and new online workshops.

Educating and Raising Awareness

International Family Law regarding the wrongful movement of children across borders is complicated and counter intuitive. Parents and the wider public struggle to understand it which can lead to parents unwittingly falling foul of the law or ending up ‘stuck’ in a foreign country.

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My “crime” was to be a victim of domestic violence in a foreign country. Before that, I had spent my life savings, and countless years fighting to legally return home. I hope one day to show my son, my home, my roots, my family.

78% 92%

said they were unaware they would be unable to return home with their children unless the other parent gave permission

said that if they had been made aware of the Hague Abduction Convention it would have affected their decision to emigrate

(Taken from our contact form with 1,041 responses)

We raise awareness via our Website and Social Media.

Our Facebook Page reach is 14,903 over the year with 228 new likes. We have 2,600 Followers on Facebook.

We have a reach of 4,961 on Instagram. On Twitter we have 52,000 tweet impressions Up until December 2023.

This year we ran a Change.org campaign and 38,000 people signed our petition to improve the Hague Convention. This and all the awareness raising we did around the campaign raised awareness and we receive many new requests for support.

Family Support

Parents are ‘stuck’ in a foreign country and struggling to cope. They are at high risk of harm from intimate partner violence / domestic abuse and other risk factors such as poverty, isolation, homelessness, lack of immigration status and mental health issues. "

Excellent service. At a time when your world is falling apart, it is nice to know that there is someone who can provide information and support.

" Thank you for the amazing work you all do. The support, information and just being there has saved many of us. It is a lifeline.

DOMESTIC ABUSE

85% report having suffered partner violence / domestic abuse

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70% 44%
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LOW INCOME

LEGAL REPRESENTATION

70% say there are experiencing financial difficulties

44% say they don't have legal representation

28%

34%

LANGUAGE BARRIERS

INSECURE HOUSING

28% experience language barriers where they are 'stuck'

34% are living in insecure housing

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24%
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IMMIGRATION

24% have immigration issues

Our Parent Support Activities and Impact:

We have recieved 242 new contact forms, and supported 327 enquires for support this year. We have given free supportive calls to 218 families .

63 parents have been added to a peer support group. We sent 3,341 supportive emails .

We have dealt with 39 safeguarding concerns.

We have signposted 221 parents to local charities or organisations that can assist them.

We have sent 222 Information Guides to parents.

We have supported 15 parents with specialist Relocation advice from an International social worker.

We hosted webinars and workshops from professionals and stuck parent survivor / community led.

Our befriending team of 3 volunteers have befriended 12 stuck parents with 84 calls . " It was great to speak with a friendly, supportive, knowledgeable person. It is so reassuring to have support. | " I am hopeful that the knowledge and support GlobalARRK can offer will help my case progress so that I can give my children a better life. —— " Before speaking to GlobalARRK I was at the point of giving up. I felt so alone.

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56 parents have filled out our feedback form this year

86% said after the helpline call they now know their next steps

86%

95%

said the information guides were helpful

said the lawyer 85% connections were helpful

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98% said they would recommend GlobalARRK to a friend

Befriending

" I have been volunteering since I relocated back home – GlobalARRK was a source of hope when I most needed it, and I am now keen to give back and lend an ear.

84 calls completed

8 alerts for extra support flagged

7 safeguarding issues reported

3 volunteers

Befriending training and 12 parents befriended on-going support provided to 'past' stuck parents " My befriender was just wonderful to speak to and I felt I really had someone A who wanted me to succeed. I always felt better after my chats with her. I am going to be ever grateful for her kindness and support. I wish every woman in this situation had their own befriender!

12 parents befriended

" Being stuck on a small isolated country, I often go periods of time where I speak to nobody. Having a befriender meant I had something to look forward to each week, somebody to ask how my day was. It meant more than my befriender will ever know. Cost of Living Crisis Hardship Grant In December 2023 we raised £1,050 to give to stuck parents in financial crisis. Below we have shared how some stuck parents used their hardship grant or the impact it had on them and their children: “Receiving the grant has helped me “Thank you for your huge and continuous remember there is goodness in the world support. The children will be delighted to and given me back some hope.” receive books from my home country as a Christmas gift” = “Am in tears, this has meant so much. I was feeling utterly without hope and “Big relief. I will spend it on essentials and seeing my little’s surprise and joy in the nappies for the little one and educational[—] supermarket was truly something special” toys a= Legal Support We have 23 law firms in our legal network from a range of countries: NZ, Australia, Netherlands, United States, Portugal, Canada and France. These firms all offer pro bono consultation and follow are ethical code of practice. This year we referred 222 parents to an expert lawyer.

Workshops

We have hosted workshops for our stuck parent community to help provide information, connect our community and enhance emotional support topics have included:

“The Hague Convention: The defences and how to use them”, led by a legal network partner Bindmans
“EmpowerHer : Applying the Grey Rock Method with ChatGPT”, survivor / Stuck Parent community Led
“How to rebuild confidence after a break up or divorce”, led by a professional coaching third party volunteer
“Stuck Parents: Improv Your Life!”, two part survivor / stuck parent community led

Advocating |, The Hague Abduction Convention was set up in 1980 to deal with non-custodial parents who take their child abroad to avoid a family court decision. Today, over 75% of ‘taking’ parents who face charges in British courts are in fact British primary carer mothers returning to the safety of their home country often after being a victim of domestic abuse abroad.

The outcomes for children being ‘returned’ under the Hague Convention are often poor with many children ending up separated from their primary carer mother and often either return to live with the perpetrator or return with their primary carer and commonly face further vulnerability due to immigration problems, language barriers, isolation and loneliness and financial difficulties.

There are no follow-up checks or support after a child is returned. This lack of financial and social security puts families in a vulnerable position and according to our research over 80% of mothers who have returned with their child under the Hague Convention, report suffering mental health issues such as PTSD, anxiety and depression.

The ‘legal’ route to return home with your child is via an application to Relocate which is made to the local family court. There are several problems typically experienced by parents including the prohibitively high cost, years of litigation, the lack of understanding of domestic abuse and of other jurisdictions. These

Our Activities and Impact:

In the run up to the Special Commission meeting of October 2023 we focused on advocacy and networking to raise awareness and ultimately improve the way that stuck families and victims of domestic abuse are impacted by the Convention. We lead on an international petition called #ProtectHagueVictims alongside 9 other organisations which received 38,081 signatures. We also lead on a joint letter signed by 25 organisations who work with victims of domestic abuse. Partly as a result of our work, the UK Government opened dialogue and the Secretary General of the HCCH, Dr. Christophe Bernasconi proposed that a new Forum on domestic violence and the Hague Convention be set up. This Forum is due to take place in June 2024 and GlobalARRK sit on the steering committee. Over the year we have national and international bodies about this issue such as the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and Reem Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. " The convention is highly miss used by the abusers who prevent women and their children to go to safety in their home country. I cannot leave the country I am in and am forced to stay here where and abusive ex-husband has access to myself and the kids. Please please review this convention and truly protect the kids and the moms from abusers! 7

Research

There is a general lack of research and data on this subject so systems are not well informed and families are suffering as a result.

GlobalARRK and partners completed a piece of research on how being unable to return to live in the country you consider ‘home’ after an international family law dispute can typically affect mental health.

We heard from those who have experienced proceedings involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspect of International Child Abduction, international permanent relocation/ leave to remove applications or wardship proceedings.

It was a collaborative research project between Dr Laura Kean (Dr. Laura Kean, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, NHS Borders,), Dr Onyoja Momoh (Centre for Private International Law, University of Aberdeen) and GlobalARRK.

The report is to be found on our website and will be distributed widely online and at conferences.

GlobalARRK and partner FiLiA Hague Mothers also instigated a survey this year on the use of Protective Measures in Hague Convention cases. The results will be available on our website and provided to inform the Forum on Domestic Violence and the Hague Convention 2024. "

GlobalARRK made me feel safe, listened to and positive about my next steps to move my case forward. " It is difficult to capture what it feels like to be a stuck parent. The agony and despair was overwhelming. At many points I did not believe I would survive the ordeal. Without GlobalARRK I would not be here today.

Organisational Development

GlobalARRK was set up by and for stuck parents in 2012 and registered as a charity in 2016. We are user led and now have additional support from non-user Trustees and volunteers who are professionals in the field of International family law, migration and domestic abuse. We currently have three part time members of staff, 10 volunteers and 5 Trustees.

The volunteers that work with us do a variety of jobs, befriending, moderating, research and fundraising. We have a diverse board of Trustees who are supporting the charity with professional and expertise from their lived experience.

Staff have benefited from a range of training and professional development this year including: Facilitator training for the Recovery Toolkit which is a course designed to support recovery from domestic abuse; Immigration law for Migrant victims of domestic abuse; Bid Writing training; charity Influencing Parliament training; Charity finance and strategy training; Transnational Marriage Abandonment training; Volunteer Management Training and volunteer engagement. We look forward to the coming year and hope it will bring further improvements for stuck families.

Thank you!

We are incredibly grateful to all of our supporters including:

Our Funders:

The Foyle Foundation The Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) The National Lottery

The Legal firms in our network:

AVRA Legal Bindmans Bosch LLM Brethertons Caldwell & Robinson Solicitors Dawson Cornwell De Border Advocaten Divorcio Familia Domenech Abogados Freemans Green Kaimer Min & Rockmore Hunters Law Kennedy Partners Lawyers L D J Solicitors MK Family Law Moore Barlow MSB Solicitors Norris Ward McKinnon Rodrigo Meira RWK Goodman SCG Advocaten T V Edwards Weightmans

Statutory Declaration:

The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the commission in exercising their powers or duties.

Brief Statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves: We aim to have between three and six months running costs which is between £9,000-£18,000.

At this end of year we have unrestricted reserves of £19,280 however we have £7,200 of this designated for core projects over the year. Therefore our unrestricted reserves currently sit at £12,080 which is between 3 and 6 months worth of running costs at current levels of spending. Last year our reserves were £14,776 so in real terms these have remained stable.

Brief Financial Review Details:

This year our income was £21,176 which is lower than the previous year which was £31,580. This is partly due to the timings of when grant funding became available. Our expenditure has risen from £23,612 up to £26,627 this year. This is because we have received funding going forward for a new part time member of staff.

Over the year we have a deficit of £5,451 although again, this is related to the ‘cash accounting ‘ and when funds became available. Our total funds at year end have decreased from £28,910 to £23,459 but again, this is to be expected and in line with our budget.

This year we were extremely grateful to have received multi year funding from The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund. This multi year funding will give us more financial stability and the ability to plan ahead more effectively. This year we also wanted to note that we have been spending funds that arrived at the end of March 2023 from the Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) and Allen Lane.

We are very grateful for the support from many of our ex-service users who then fundraise for us. This year they have been doing sponsored runs, walks and birthday fundraisers. Along with our Hardship Appeal at Christmas, we have raised £6,233 in individual and legal network donations which is a large chunk of our income.

Due to working remotely our core costs have remained low with the majority of our spending going on salaries, IT and other basic running costs.

We have a fundraising strategy and pipeline in place to further support the financial sustainability of the charity and to be able to increase the depth of support we can provide to beneficiaries.

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For th• porfod (W04r2023 31103r2024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restricted funds Endowrnent lunds Totsi funds La8t yoar to lh• fi•ar•t £ kn th• nMrn•t £ 10 th• n•mt É 10 th• fi••mt£ 10 th• £ A1 Recel Granl. Reach Donatn8 Hardship donknns CMunrt 14,943 6.•21 5.021 1.212 1212 tota ross income AR) 6,021 1¢155 21.176 31.SaO A2 Assot and Investment sales, (so9 tablol. Total rncelpts 5.021 16.155 21.176 31,580 A3Pa ments Fundrawtg ¢w¢nse es Commun¢alon$ IT costs Lgga & Prol8w)n4 Sww<•s OffKe & Runnn cosls Hardship paymenis Other Stsll cosis.'tra)ry. 08S tr8V 217 217 21.100 21.11)0 237 592 237 592 300 1,734 360 1,734 Sub total 877 25.750 26.627 23.612 A4 Assot and Inve¥tmenl urchas•s, s•• tab Sub totsl Total payments 877 25.750 26.627 23,612 Net of rnCeIpt(payrnentsj A5 Transfers belween funds A6 Cash funds last year ond Cash funds this year end 9.595 5.451 14.776 18,920 28,910 23,459 20,942 28,910 4.539

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrlcted Restrlctod funds funds to n•r#t £ to n•r•t É En(lowmont funds to n•r•#t É C•tfygorl•• Dotal Total cash funds 18.920 4,539 Unr••trlcted funds R•strlctod fund8 to n•arnt É Endowmont fund8 to n••r•*t É Dolails Fynd to whl¢h 4•s•t b•h)n Cuft•nt valu• onal D•t411• Fund to whkh Co•t lopOoWI Currnnt ¥•l•• Detalls B4 Assots rntalnod for the charlty's own use Fund to whkh Il•bll r•l•t•g ReS¢ted Amount du• Wh•n du• lon•1 Details HKIRC BS Llabllftl•s Pensrjn Signed by one or trustees on behalf of all Ihe trustees snature Print Name Date of roval Dr Dianne SctJllx)n 2610912024

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info@globalarrk.org

https://www.globalarrk.org/