Five Syrian refugee families given right to remain in Bath

Cllr Dine Romero (front left) with the Syrian families and council representatives at a celebration in Parade Gardens. Credit: Bath & N E Somerset Council

Five refugee families from Syria have been granted indefinite leave to remain after settling in Bath five years ago.

The families were the first to be welcomed to the city in February 2016 as part of the Syrian refugee resettlement programme, backed by Bath and North East Somerset Council's Connecting Families team.

A celebration was held in Bath's Parade Gardens on Monday 2 August to mark their completion of the programme and celebrate their achievements since their arrival.

  • One of the parents trained as a teaching assistant and now works full time in a school.

  • Another gained qualifications in British Sign Language to be able to communicate with their child who is hearing impaired, which, alongside a cochlear implant and a place at a specialist school, has made the child happier and less frustrated.

  • Some parents have been successful in securing jobs in retail and voluntary work.

  • One has completed a degree in business management.

  • Four out of the five families no longer need support through a translator.

The families have thanked Connecting Families and say they love their life here in the UK.

One parent said: “You have done so much for us I’m very sad you are going now. My children will miss you; you are family to us and always will be.”

Another added: “We have had lots of help to get everything we need, and you kept on helping, never stopped. I didn’t know what to expect and without you it would have been difficult. We didn’t know what was here in England, but we are safe and very happy, our new home now.”

One parent said: “We would have struggled with things like benefits, housing, schools, etc. without you. Thank you for everything.”

Councillor Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture, said: “I am so pleased that our five families who came to the UK in 2016 now enjoy a safe and happy life and have gained their indefinite leave to remain. It was a joy to meet them and hear first-hand of their achievements. They have accomplished so much since they arrived in Bath and I’m delighted to hear that they all want to stay within our community.

“In 2015 the council had discussions with the Home Office about our willingness to help resettle Syrian refugees who greatly need our support. Thanks to the help of our local partners and volunteers, the resettlement programme has been a huge success for our five families."

The Connecting Families team co-ordinates local services to help meet the complex needs of families so that they can make positive changes. Find out more here.