As September begins, parents across the UK will be getting ready for the start of the new school year.

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Buying uniform, packing school bags and preparing for all the excitement and challenges of a new term.

But for children of refugees, this September marks a different kind of milestone. It is one year since the UK government suspended the refugee family reunion scheme.

The scheme previously allowed people who have been granted refugee status in the UK to be reunited with their spouses and children, whom they became separated from when fleeing war or persecution. The process was often long and complex, with no guarantee of success – but it offered a vital lifeline to families. Most visas granted were for women and children.

On 4 September last year, the scheme was suspended to new applications, with only a few days’........

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