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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/27/eight-london-councils-call-for-more-help-to-care-for-refugee-children
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| Eight London councils call for more help to care for refugee children | Eight London councils call for more help to care for refugee children |
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| Eight London councils have written a letter to the home secretary, Amber Rudd, calling on the Home Office to provide more financial and casework support to ensure they can properly care for unaccompanied refugee children who have started to arrive in the UK from France. | Eight London councils have written a letter to the home secretary, Amber Rudd, calling on the Home Office to provide more financial and casework support to ensure they can properly care for unaccompanied refugee children who have started to arrive in the UK from France. |
| Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing, Hounslow, Lewisham, Camden, Islington, Lambeth and Redbridge councils have signed the letter calling on the government to do more to support refugee children in Calais and in the UK. | Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing, Hounslow, Lewisham, Camden, Islington, Lambeth and Redbridge councils have signed the letter calling on the government to do more to support refugee children in Calais and in the UK. |
| The councils have written to Rudd under the auspices of the organisation Citizens UK, whose charity Safe Passage is one of those trying to get children assessed and registered so that they can be brought to safety in the UK. | The councils have written to Rudd under the auspices of the organisation Citizens UK, whose charity Safe Passage is one of those trying to get children assessed and registered so that they can be brought to safety in the UK. |
| The councils call on Rudd to provide more financial help so they can better plan support for refugee children over the next few years, pointing out that they “have had their budgets cut by over two-thirds since 2010”. | |
| The letter has been written at a time when charities based at Calais continue to raise concerns about the welfare of the children still stranded in the partly demolished refugee camp. Save The Children said it was extremely concerned about the welfare of children in Calais who have not yet been registered. | |
| Since 17 October 233 children have arrived in the UK from Calais but many are still in the camp. | Since 17 October 233 children have arrived in the UK from Calais but many are still in the camp. |
| The letter to the home secretary warned: “There is much that can go wrong during the chaos and confusion that is already evident during the ... camp’s eviction.” | |
| While they welcome the fact that the Home Office is allowing some vulnerable children who do not have relatives in the UK to enter the country, they have urged Rudd to work more closely with charities and volunteers who have been working on the ground in the Calais camp . | While they welcome the fact that the Home Office is allowing some vulnerable children who do not have relatives in the UK to enter the country, they have urged Rudd to work more closely with charities and volunteers who have been working on the ground in the Calais camp . |
| The letter added: “Charities and volunteers have been working with these children for a very long time. We urge the Home Office to work with them to collate and cross-check details of all the children to ensure no child is left behind.” | |
| Toufique Hossain, of Duncan Lewis solicitors, has warned that some of the children still in the camp are at risk: “We have been receiving texts from some of the children saying that bandits are coming into the containers and stealing their phones and their identity cards proving that they are minors,” he said. “We are very concerned to hear these reports.” | Toufique Hossain, of Duncan Lewis solicitors, has warned that some of the children still in the camp are at risk: “We have been receiving texts from some of the children saying that bandits are coming into the containers and stealing their phones and their identity cards proving that they are minors,” he said. “We are very concerned to hear these reports.” |
| Earlier this month, Hammersmith & Fulham council sent 30 of its social workers to Calais to help assess and register children. The social workers volunteered so there was no cost to the council. | Earlier this month, Hammersmith & Fulham council sent 30 of its social workers to Calais to help assess and register children. The social workers volunteered so there was no cost to the council. |
| Steve Cowan, leader of the council, said: “It is essential that the Home Office works with these people who have knowledge and expertise about this group of children to ensure that no child is left behind in the Calais camp.” | Steve Cowan, leader of the council, said: “It is essential that the Home Office works with these people who have knowledge and expertise about this group of children to ensure that no child is left behind in the Calais camp.” |
| Hammersmith & Fulham is taking 15 unaccompanied children from the camp and they will be placed with existing foster families in the borough. Cowan said: “Many of these refugee children have suffered horrendous abuse but now they will be given the skilled support, safety and love that all children deserve.” | |
| A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have substantially increased the levels of funding we give to local authorities for providing care for unaccompanied children — daily rates have increased by more than 20% and we have made an additional £60,000 available for each area.” | A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have substantially increased the levels of funding we give to local authorities for providing care for unaccompanied children — daily rates have increased by more than 20% and we have made an additional £60,000 available for each area.” |