We are reaching out as a family with a heartfelt plea for help for our beloved niece, Laura, and her two young children, Miguel, aged 3, and Maggie, aged 2.

Right now, Laura and her children are in Portugal following a UK court order requiring them to return. They have arrived back with no secure accommodation to go to, and Laura urgently needs specialist legal representation in Portugal as she prepares for the next stage of the legal proceedings.

Quite simply, our family is desperately worried about them.

Laura is only 29 years old, and she is facing an incredibly difficult situation while caring for two very young children. At this moment, she and the children are homeless in Portugal and do not have the security of a safe place to call home.

We are asking for your help to give Laura and her children the safety, stability and professional support they desperately need.

Laura's story

In November 2022, Laura travelled to Portugal with her then partner while 24 weeks pregnant. She believed they were visiting his family and would return to the UK.

Laura says that, after arriving in Portugal, her circumstances changed dramatically. She describes becoming isolated, financially controlled and subjected to emotional and physical abuse.

With the support of the UK Consulate, Portuguese authorities and specialist domestic abuse services, Laura and her children were eventually moved into protected accommodation.

Following family court proceedings in Portugal, arrangements were made for shared parental responsibility.

Later, Laura was given permission by the Portuguese court to bring the children to England for Christmas 2025, with an agreed return date of 9 January 2026 so they could spend time with their extended family in the UK.

Laura explains that illness prevented her from returning on the scheduled date. Medical evidence was provided to both the Portuguese court and the children's father.

Legal proceedings were subsequently brought under the Hague Convention. Following extensive court proceedings in the UK, Laura was ordered to return to Portugal with Miguel and Maggie on 29 July 2026.

She is now preparing for further legal proceedings in Portugal, where she hopes the court will consider the children's future living arrangements and her application to relocate permanently to the United Kingdom.

Why we urgently need your help

The immediate problem is that Laura no longer has access to the protected accommodation where she and the children previously stayed.

This means that Laura has returned to Portugal with two very young children and no safe, secure accommodation while these proceedings begin.

As her family, it is incredibly difficult for us to know that Laura and the children are in this situation and not be able to simply bring them home ourselves.

We want to give Laura the best possible chance of getting through this process safely, with proper legal representation and the support of her family around her.

What your donation will help with

Any money raised will help towards:

Specialist legal representation in Portugal.

Ongoing specialist legal advice in the UK where required.

A qualified Portuguese interpreter for legal proceedings.

Safe temporary accommodation for Laura and the children.

Essential flights between the UK and Portugal.

Travel and accommodation for a trusted family member to be there to support Laura.

Food and other basic living expenses while the legal process is underway.

We know that times are difficult for many people, and we are not asking lightly.

Every donation, no matter how small, could make a real difference to Laura, Miguel and Maggie. Even a small contribution could help towards a night in safe accommodation, food for the children, travel to a legal appointment or the professional representation Laura urgently needs.

If you are unable to donate, we completely understand. Please consider sharing this page instead. Reaching more people could be just as valuable and may help us reach our fundraising goal.

Most importantly, we want Laura and her children to know that they are not alone.

They have a family here in the UK who love them, who are standing beside them and who desperately want to see them safe and secure.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read Laura's story. Thank you for any donation, share, message, kind thought or prayer you can offer.

Your kindness could help Laura and her two little children through one of the most difficult and uncertain periods of their lives.

With love and gratitude,

Laura's family
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