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<p>The Government already provides a safe and legal route to bring refugee families
together through its family reunion policy. This allows a partner and children under
18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of
the family unit before the sponsor fled their country.</p><p> </p><p>Refugees can
also sponsor adult dependent relatives living overseas to join them where, due to
age, illness or disability, that person requires long-term personal care that can
only be provided by relatives in the UK. There are separate provisions in the Rules
to allow extended family to sponsor children to come here where there are serious
and compelling circumstances.</p><p>Further, there is discretion to grant visas outside
the Immigration Rules, which caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances
– including young adult sons or daughters who are dependent on family here and living
in dangerous situations.</p><p> </p><p>It is the Government’s view that if children
were allowed to sponsor family, this would risk creating incentives for more children
to be encouraged, or even forced, to leave their family and risk hazardous journeys
to the UK. This plays into the hands of criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people
and goes against our safeguarding responsibilities.</p>
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