The leader of Kent County Council (KCC) has responded to comments from a local refugee charity worker who said that young migrants "deserve more empathy".

On Monday, Bridget Chapman, of Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN), said that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children aged under 18 arriving into Kent should not be "demonised".

The 49-year-old, who has worked at KRAN for five years, said she wanted a change in tone and said: "I would like people to have more empathy. Migrants do not leave their place of origin unless they have got a reason to do so."

However, KCC's leader Roger Gough (Con) dismissed the claims and said the "welfare" and "safety" of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) has always been a "primary concern" for the local social care provider.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "As the local authority accommodating the gateway to Europe and shortest Channel crossing KCC receives the majority of these young people in the UK.

"All UASC new arrivals on Kent shores are immediately referred into the care of KCC integrated children’s services who deeply empathise with these children and work tirelessly, particularly during these difficult times, to ensure they receive the immediate and ongoing attention and support that these often traumatised young people need."

More than 1,500 children have been cared for and had homes found by KCC following the significant arrival of at the port of Dover since 2014 and 2015.

“The council emphatically rejects any suggestion that it 'demonises' these children and will continue to show empathy..."

A spokesman for the charity has since re-iterated its belief that KCC do "a creditable job of looking after young people with stretched resources."

Maidstone County Hall is currently responsible for nearly 1,000 UASC care leavers. They have currently transferred hundreds more to the care of other local authorities across England.

Cllr Gough, who was elected leader at KCC last October, said: "Recently, the council has fought hard to ensure the future care of new UASC arriving on our shores.

"Due to increased numbers arriving, particularly during lockdown, and the failure of the National Transfer Scheme, which should fairly distribute the care of these young people throughout the UK, Kent has remained responsible for all UASC arriving on its shores.

"This has ultimately put an inevitable strain on Kent’s finite social care resources such as social workers, independent reviewing officers, care workers, foster carers and accommodation putting the council at risk of not being able to provide their duty of care to these children.

"KCC takes its responsibilities for these vulnerable children and young people extremely seriously whilst also ensuring that claims are genuine, including extremely thorough age assessments undertaken by our expert officers and the provision of age appropriate care to those eligible."

The leader of KCC recently appealed directly to the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, which resulted in increased financial support and assistance from the Home Office. KCC say the national transfer scheme has been "reinvigorated" and will ensure children receive all the support they need now and the future.

Concluding Cllr Gough said: “KCC continues to be extremely grateful for the support offered to UASC by many different charities throughout the country and continues to work closely with them all

“The council emphatically rejects any suggestion that it 'demonises' these children and will continue to show empathy, and care and support them into adulthood to ensure that they have the best opportunities and quality of life in the UK."

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