Refugee Week 2024

This week is refugee week, celebrating the contribution of refugees. The theme this year is ‘our home’, which invites people to mark what home means to them. 

The presence of disabled people in refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Britain is frequently overlooked. That’s why we want to celebrate refugees who need our support.  

Why we support refugees 

We work within Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. Brighton & Hove is a City of Sanctuary and there are many organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. 

People who are seeking asylum do not have the right to work in the UK, meaning they are more likely to be in poverty. This is because they receive a small income from the Government, which in November 2023 was just £6.77 per day. A recent report from Asylum Matters said that 91% of people on asylum support can’t afford to buy food some of the time.  

Yet the costs of caring for a disabled child are higher than a child without a disability. On average, disabled households need nearly £1,000 more a month to have the same standard of living as households without a disabled child or adult. We believe it is important that every family gets the support they need for their disabled child or young person. This means it’s even more crucial that asylum seekers and refugees receive our help and support.  

We are here for everyone 

Our services are open to families with disabled children in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex, whether they have a diagnosis or not.  

To make our services more welcoming we can: 

• Work with services that refugees and asylum seekers are already linked to, such as the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service in Brighton & Hove  

• Provide translated materials for some of our literature. If you’d like our materials in a different language, please contact us at [email protected]  

• Work with interpreters from Sussex Interpreting Services  

Our new website also has a translation function so people can access the information in the language that works for them. 

What to do if you know a refugee who needs us 

If you know a refugee or asylum seeker who needs support with navigating the challenges of having a disabled child, please ask them to get in touch. 

They can access a wealth of information and resources on our website, including details of our services such as our DLA service, information and advice and parent groups and befriending.