People granted settlement in the UK have the right to bring in dependent children and spouses, subject to certain qualifying criteria. Other people, such as grandparents and other dependent relatives, can also be brought to the UK in certain circumstances.

During the last five years about 20,000 children have entered the UK annually after gaining the right to family reunion. The majority of these children are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Some children who have arrived in the UK after family reunion has been granted can be very unsettled. They may take time to adjust to changed family circumstances. They may have been separated from at least one parent for a number of years.

Children entering the UK after securing the right to family reunion also include the children of adults granted refugee status. Some of these children may also have had experiences of persecution, organised violence and flight. Some may have resided in third countries before being given the right to enter the UK.

These experiences may impact on children's ability to settle in a new school. For further information go to the 'Supporting emotional well-being' area of this site.