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Advising E. European immigrants

(15 Posts)
Fennel Thu 26-Nov-20 16:19:53

About a year ago I wrote about employing a young Romanian woman as a cleaner. She's been working well and I've helped her to find other work.
We've become quite fond of her and she seems to treat us as her substitute Mum and Dad, but it's getting to the point where we don't know how to advise. Every week when she arives there's a new 'probleme' (same in Romanian.)
We communicate via an App on her phone.
As the saying goes, it's 'doing my head in.'
Does anyone know of an organisation which is equipped to advise immigrants on our beaurocracy?
On top of that there's the anxiety of what's going to happen to them after Brexit.

cornishpatsy Thu 26-Nov-20 16:26:47

Your town should have a migrant help line, if you google migrant help it will show the nearest to you.

EllanVannin Thu 26-Nov-20 17:07:49

Or the nearest DWP who have staff that speak the language and perhaps help.

lemongrove Thu 26-Nov-20 17:11:33

They could find things out from gov web sites....why is she/them relying on you to sort things out? There is also CAB online.

petra Thu 26-Nov-20 17:24:20

Fennel
Is she asking you about her visa application which she will need. If that's a no, forget the next bit.
My daughters Albanian neighbours asked her to help with their application.
If that is the case I can only say to you: whatever you do: do not get involved.
My daughter is intelligent, tech savvy, runs her own business but this nearly beat her ? I would say that on and off it took her about 2 weeks of work.

trisher Thu 26-Nov-20 18:00:30

Google 'Human rights lawyers' in your area then send her to one

Fennel Thu 26-Nov-20 19:07:42

petra No it's nothing like that.
eg today - she lives in a flat with her sister, brother and ?aunt and uncle. We know that's right as Husband has been there.
Latest is that sister has something like alopecia and needs a refeferal to a 'skin doctor'.
She seems to think that they have come to a land of milk and honey and the streets are paved with gold.
I tried to explain reality to her here, about the impossible strains on our NHS.
But i'll try the helplines on migrant help.
Thanks cornishpasty.

Callistemon Thu 26-Nov-20 19:20:36

Tell her to contact CAB. You could find out the website address for her, that's helpful enough.

They need to register with a GP if they haven't done so and the GP will decide what, if anything, needs to be done about the alopecia.

petra Thu 26-Nov-20 19:34:19

Fennel
I know Romania very well as for 5 years I lived just 2 hrs away from their border with Bulgaria. We spent a lot of time there as it's a beautiful country but the poverty in huge parts of it are very distressing.
We would take a lot of donations to children's charities there.
That is certainly not for the faint hearted to see.
So, back to the land of milk and honey I'm afraid to say from their perspective we are living in the land of milk and honey
You've mentioned the NHS to her. She comes from a country where the poor ( mainly Roma) sit outside the hospitals ready to sell their blood.
Just trying to give you an insight into her 'previous' world ?

Fennel Thu 26-Nov-20 19:45:15

Her sister is in the process of registering with a GP
Spent ages trying to explain the difference between a GP and Specialists in our system.
Referal via GP or private insurance.
I learnt a bit about it too.

Fennel Thu 26-Nov-20 20:05:54

petra thanks. From what she tells me that fits.
Today she told me that she never went to school because you had to pay and they couldn't afford it. A friend taught her to read.
I think her brother must have been educated because she says he can fill in the forms etc,



petra

NotSpaghetti Thu 26-Nov-20 20:13:49

I hope you are able to give her some help without so much stress yourself. It's hard when a kindness becomes a chore... I hope they get sorted.
Sending you positive thoughts and a hug for your efforts Fennel.

It's hard to understand the "system" in other countries even if you speak the language. We had to pay tax in the USA a couple of times and the paperwork was quite confusing.

harrigran Fri 27-Nov-20 10:52:21

I would step away from this, there are very few of us qualified to advise and fill in forms of such importance.
My DD took citizenship of another European country and the form filling and bureaucracy nearly drove her to distraction.

EllanVannin Fri 27-Nov-20 11:57:49

gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme

Fennel Fri 27-Nov-20 14:27:58

Thanks to all for the replies and to NotSpaghetti to remind me to try not to get so involved emotionally if possible. And Harrigran same point.
I forgot to add to the saga that she has 2 little boys aged 4 and 6. Oldest having racial problems in school.