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The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) has awarded the Andrew Mouravieff-Apostol Medal, its most distinguished honour, to Margaret Humphreys for her outstanding contribution to international social work.
Margaret Humphreys exposed the scandal of child migration in the late 1980s. It is now accepted that thousands of young British children were deported without their families as part of the Commonwealth Child Migration Schemes, designed to promote Britain’s interests overseas with ‘Good White Stock’. The last children were sent in 1970.
Since 1987, Margaret has helped thousands of former child migrants reclaim their identities and reunite with family across the UK and many other countries, following decades of separation and loss. Most former child migrants did not even have a birth certificate.
Margaret led the campaign for acknowledgement and recognition of the terrible loss and injustice suffered by former child migrants and their families. Her work established specialist, independent services to restore personal identity and promote recovery from the trauma and painful legacy of childhood institutional abuse.
Margaret’s pioneering work ultimately led to public inquiries and national apologies by the British and Australian governments, for the flawed and damaging policy of child migration across the Commonwealth.
Margaret Humphreys is one of only a few social workers across the world whose professional work features in a major film – ‘Oranges and Sunshine’ – released in 2011. In receiving this award on 11th July, Dr Humphreys said: “I thank the IFSW for this honour, particularly welcome from a global organisation whose values mirror those of the Child Migrants Trust. Social workers must now work together to ensure accountability of those well-known institutions that have controlled the lives of our most vulnerable citizens for decades. It is time for a change of culture to promote a more open and fair society, where justice for past historical abuse is no longer out of reach for those who have suffered the terrible trauma of childhood abuse.”
Describing Margaret Humphreys’ work, former child migrant John Hennessey said in 2015: 'For decades, child migrants were lost and forgotten by our countries - both old and new. We didn't belong anywhere, we had no words to explain what had happened to us, or who we were. We were truly lost in the wilderness. Margaret found our families and brought us home, one by one. She gave us a voice to help governments listen, and finally, to understand. National Apologies in the UK and Australia are testament to her work and our refusal to give in or be silenced.'
Notes to editors:
The Child Migrants Trust, founded by Dr Margaret Humphreys CBE, OA, in 1987, was established to address the devastating impact of British child migration schemes to other British Commonwealth countries. Further details of the Trust’s work can be found at: https://www.childmigrantstrust.com
The Andrew Mouravieff-Apostol Medal is awarded by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) every second year to an individual or organisation that has stimulated the further development of international social work and made an outstanding contribution to the social work profession on an international level, transcended national borders and reflected social work values.
Dr Humphreys was the first recipient of this award to be jointly nominated by three separate members of the IFSW: the British, the Canadian and the Australian Association of Social Workers.
2020 marks the 10th Anniversary of the National Apology made by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown to former child migrants and their families for the suffering caused by the UK’s policy of child migration.
The IFSW’s website can be found here: https://www.ifsw.org/
Media enquiries – please call Ian Thwaites on +61 409 553 043 (Melbourne) or +44 115 982 2811 (U.K.)
The Child Migrants Trust understands the feelings of anxiety and concern many former Child Migrants are experiencing in relation to the pandemic and measures taken by Governments to ensure our safety. The spotlight of national and international news coverage often increases anxiety and depression.
We are committed to ensuring essential professional services continue to be provided at this time – especially to those who are isolated and living alone. Please contact us by phone or email during this time when most of us are working from home.
Margaret Humphreys CBE, AO
We regret, given the current situation, that we have postponed all future travel using the Family Restoration Fund until further notice. Many countries, including the U.K., have introduced movement restrictions for overseas visitors. We will keep this situation under constant review to ensure that the advice is timely and relevant.
Visitors to the U.K. will be asked to quarantine immediately upon arrival.
For urgent assistance and to discuss your travel plans and options please contact the Child Migrants Trust. Our office contact details can be found here.
The following advice can be viewed in full on the Australian Government website and equally applies to clients travelling from/to any country:
Do not go overseas - a travel ban is in place.
23 March 2021
There's a ban on overseas travel from Australia. You can’t leave Australia unless you have an exemption from the Department of Home Affairs, or are travelling to a destination that is exempt from the ban.
Our global travel advice remains at 'Do not travel' due to the health risks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions to global travel. Some destinations were already set at Do Not Travel prior to COVID-19 due to the extreme risk to your safety.
If you’re overseas and wish to return to Australia, be prepared for delays and read our advice on trying to get home.
When you arrive in Australia you must quarantine for 14 days at designated facilities in your port of arrival, unless you have an exemption or are travelling on a quarantine-free flight from a green zone destination. At this time, vaccination against COVID-19 does not change this quarantine requirement. You may be required to pay for the costs of your quarantine.
Today - 24th February 2020 - marks the 10th Anniversary of the UK Government’s apology to all those former Child Migrants it sent to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the former Rhodesia.
This apology, a deeply symbolic and significant event, can be viewed here:
CMT was established by Margaret Humphreys CBE, AO; a Nottinghamshire Social Worker. It addresses the devastating impact of the deportation of children from Britain. In the post-war period, child migrants as young as three were shipped to Canada, New Zealand, the former Rhodesia and Australia, a practice that continued as late as 1970.
A registered charity in both Australia and Britain, CMT provides a range of social work services, including counselling and support for family reunions. The Trust's offices in Nottingham, UK as well as Perth and Melbourne in Australia also offer information, advice and family research to former child migrants and their families.
Please take time to browse our website. It displays useful information and memorable photographs of former child migrants, as children and adults, to give you a window into our vital work.
For more details and application forms for the Family Restoration Fund, please click here
