What we do
Established in 2015 as part of the UK Vulnerable Person Relocation Scheme, NIRSS works in partnership with local statutory and voluntary organisations co-ordinated through the NI Executive Office and the Home Office. We have been supporting families who have fled the Syrian conflict and arrived in Northern Ireland, for up to 5 years from their date of arrival into the UK, at 3 levels:
• Intensive support: for the first few weeks or months families may need help with – everything! Our dedicated key workers work with parents and children to help them settle into their new home, access work, benefits and healthcare, find nursery, school and college places, link with local services, support independence, and integrate into the local community.
• Clinic support: Once a family can manage many things themselves, we close their intensive support, but they can still access our weekly clinic hosted by experienced support workers and volunteers, to discuss and get help with any issue they are facing
• Floating support: There are some life events or experiences that require a bit of extra support, such as having a baby, moving house, looking for work, dealing with an extreme health issue etc. Refugees within our Syrian and Afghan schemes can receive floating support on a case-by-case.
An active Syrian Youth Voice group has also been established, building community and speaking out to decision-makers on Refugee and Youth issues.
To continue to support the integration and independence of Syrian people beyond their 5-year period of support, we have pulled together the advice pages above.
Since our service started in 2015 it has also expanded to include our:
Afghan Refugee Service https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support/services/afghan-refugee-service
Ukrainian Refugee Service https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support/services/ukrainian-refugee-ser…
Barnardo's Asylum Family Support (BAFS)
We can help with
- Supporting families and individual children including: foster services for children and young people who arrive here on their own, help children get the healthcare and schooling they need while they are in the UK and giving parents practical support
- Find out more about Refugee/asylum seeker services
- Search for Refugee/asylum seeker services services
- Supporting parents, carers and families with guidance and activities
- Find out more about Family support
- Search for Family support services