Families who received notices asking them to agree to return to their home countries are begging the Home Office to give them more time to make a decision that will significantly affect their children’s futures.

The Home Office has targeted 150 families whose asylum claims were refused and given them just seven days to make the decision, which would uproot their children from schools and adopted communities. Those who refuse to leave voluntarily may be forcibly removed in handcuffs, including children.

The Home Office announced the new pilot scheme a week ago, asking the families to opt for expedited voluntary return to their home countries with the sweetener of “go home” payments of up to £10,000 per family member, up to a total of £40,000.

Families who have received emails from the Home Office said they pressure them to leave the UK quickly. They are distraught at the prospect of them and their children being rushed out of the UK back to their home countries where they believe their lives are still at risk.

A father of a teenage girl studying for GCSEs said: “My wife is totally shocked, under a blur of grief, sobbing at the idea of leaving this country that has been our home for the last few years. My daughter has to leave behind all her dreams of graduating from school and passing GCSEs with flying colours.

“We are completely devastated, tremendously scared, as if an atomic bomb has exploded around us; our small world has crumbled at our feet. Hope is no longer a chance for us.”

Another parent of a teenage boy said she was terrified about what would happen to her and her son if they had to go back to their home country.

“Both my son and I are on medication for depression and anxiety. We need help to stay in the UK. There is no safe place for us in our home country. If we do not accept voluntary return we will be forced out. I need more time to think about what is the safest thing for us to do next. I want to ask the Home Office to delay the seven-day deadline for a decision,” she said.

The first parent added: “It all started when I got a message from the Home Office threatening me, my wife and my teenage daughter to request voluntary return to our home country or face being mercilessly deported.

“I told a Home Office representative that our family is not interested in their universal credit, taxpayer accommodation, or any other type of financial support. They responded coldly as if not listening to my words: ‘If you do not go back, we will definitely deport you and your family, and if you or your child tries to get away, our officers will handcuff you, your child and your wife and put you all on a plane using physical force’. In other words, using violence.”

The pilot scheme will be reviewed as part of a consultation stating that, unlike previous guidance, the use of force, including handcuffing children, could be used for the purposes of effecting removal, not just to protect children from the risk of harming themselves or others.

The document continues: “This means that the physical handling of a child as a last resort to overcome noncompliance is an unfortunate but necessary and justified intervention.”

According to the document, last year 97% of family removals were voluntary: 1,159 compared with just 17 families removed by force.

The first parent said his family hoped to find a way to remain in the UK. “If we are forced to leave we want to thank this beautiful country and their people for receiving us and treating us, many times, like one of you. We leave behind true new friends, acquaintances and helpful strangers, who will be in our hearts the rest of our lives.”

Home Office sources said they would not provide a running commentary before the pilot had concluded.