Councils urged to help care for migrant children, as Kent County Council struggles following surge in arrivals
15:34, 20 August 2020
updated: 15:36, 20 August 2020
Councils in Kent - and across the rest of the country - are being called on to “take responsibility” to help care for the lone migrant children who cross the Channel to the UK.
The government has issued the plea to local authorities following a surge in arrivals of unaccompanied migrant children in the las few weeks.
In the meantime, the youngsters are being left with Border Force officers in a processing centre in Dover while arrangements are made with social services .
Now, The Home Office, the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are writing to all local councils asking them to help in tackling the problem.
Since June, 48 councils have pledged to provide at least 200 places for children but more are needed.
A Home Office spokesman described the situation as “unprecedented” and said KCC is being provided with “significant increases in funding” and support, but added: "The burden being placed on them is unacceptable and cannot continue.
"We are grateful to the 48 local authorities who have pledged more than 200 places to support our National Transfer Scheme, but we need more to come forward and do their bit for vulnerable children.
"The Home Office, Department for Education and MHCLG are writing to all local authorities, urging them to come forward, play their part and take responsibility.”
KCC announced on Monday that it can not care for any more children and asked the government to devise the system distribute the children to other parts of the country.
Leader Roger Gough said: "I am deeply disappointed and concerned that, despite our many efforts to avoid this unthinkable situation, it has been necessary to make this announcement.
"This is a huge challenge for Kent, but a relatively small challenge to solve nationally, and should have been resolved before now."
The short-term holding facility at Dover - known as the Kent Intake Unit - is temporarily housing migrants who have arrived in small boats across the Channel in a large communal area, or a separate room reserved for families and lone children, while they receive medical checks and have their initial asylum interview.
Washing facilities, food and places to sleep are provided, officials said.
Children are always prioritised and are being held there for as short a time as possible, the Home Office added.
The department insists the UK does more to support lone migrant children than any EU member state, adding that last year UK asylum applications accounted for approximately 20% of all claims made in the EU.
In 2016, the National Transfer Scheme was launched to encourage all local authorities to help care for unaccompanied migrant children in a bid to spread responsibilities more evenly between councils.
Councils now receive £240 per child per week, with more funding provided for those helping the greatest number of children.
Since 2016 more than 960 children have been transferred under the scheme, with more than a third moved from Kent, according to the Home Office.
But critics have said because it is voluntary it is ineffective and should be made a mandatory requirement for councils.
