SUMMARY

Our client, mother of three young children arrived in Greece and is currently caring for them alone in refugee reception accommodation. She needs a court decision confirming custody of her eldest child. Without it, she cannot apply for the child’s travel document, and the child may also face barriers to school registration and some social services. Please help us reach our goal of   £1,000 to cover the legal work, court procedure and associated costs needed to resolve the case.

Her situation

She and all three young children were granted refugee status in June 2026. The family is currently living in refugee reception accommodation and may be required to leave soon. 

Her eldest child was born in Egypt. The child’s father did not take responsibility for him, and the mother has raised the child herself. She has since lost contact with the father and cannot locate him. Documents that may once have helped establish her custody rights are no longer available.

Now that the family has refugee status, the mother needs to obtain legal custody of the older child to obtain travel documents for her children.  For her eldest child, however, the authorities require formal evidence that she has sole legal custody. Without legal representation and a court decision, she cannot complete the application.

Why legal assistance is needed

This is not a dispute about who is caring for the child: he has remained in his mother’s care. The difficulty is proving her legal authority when the other parent cannot be found, and the earlier documents are unavailable. A lawyer must examine the available evidence, prepare the necessary application and supporting documents, and represent the mother through the relevant court procedure in Greece.

The factual and legal background makes the case more complex than a routine application. The mother cannot afford the legal and procedural costs herself. Although legal aid exists in law, in practice there is no effective state-funded assistance realistically accessible to her for this type of family-law proceeding. 

What the funds will cover

The £1,000 raised will be used for the lawyer’s preparation and representation, together with the court, Bar Association and related procedural costs required to pursue the custody application. If the final cost is lower than expected, ASsIST may seek agreement of all parties to use any remaining funds to assist another refugee parent requiring legal assistance with custody or guardianship proceedings in Greece. Donors will be contacted individually and given the required period in which to respond before any remaining funds are used.

Why this matters

A successful application would formally recognise the mother’s authority to act for her eldest child and allow her to obtain his travel document. Formal custody documents are also required for the child’s school registration and may be requested when a mother caring alone for her children seeks to enter into a lease. Resolving the case would therefore remove a serious legal obstacle affecting the family’s ability to move beyond reception accommodation and establish greater stability.

Who we are

This case is being supported by ForRefugees, a UK-registered charity, in partnership with ASsIST – Asylum Seekers Information Services Team. ASsIST has been providing free information and legal assistance to asylum seekers and refugees in Greece since 2019. Our experienced Greek lawyers will assess the evidence, advise the mother and undertake the legal procedure and represent the family before the court. 

Funds raised through CrowdJustice will be received by ASsIST’s UK partner, ForRefugees, and forwarded to ASsIST, which will manage the case and be responsible for reporting on expenditure and accounting.

Please help

Every contribution will help this mother obtain the legal representation she needs. If you cannot donate, sharing the case may help us reach the £1,000 target.

Privacy note

Some details have been omitted or generalised to protect the privacy and safety of the mother and her children.