Borough calls for extra government money
Vulnerable children who come to the UK seeking asylum are costing Hammersmith and Fulham along with eight other local authorities, a total of £35million pounds says a new report.
The councils claim in a recent report that this sum they claim is owed to them by the government for the care of some of the most vulnerable children living in England.
The report suggests that the money is owed to the councils for a range of services involved in looking after unaccompanied children who arrive in the UK seeking asylum.
A lack of clarity in the legislation governing these services - legislation which stems from a number of different government departments - has meant that funding for such service provision has often fallen through the net.
The current mismatch between childcare legislation and immigration legislation is another issue which, according to the councils' joint report, requires urgent attention if the proper planning, funding and delivery of services for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) is to be effectively resolved.
The local authorities which have co-launched a campaign for reimbursement of they money they believe is owed to them and which are calling for clearer legislation on the issue are Birmingham City Council, Hounslow Council, London Borough of Hillingdon, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, Kent County Council, Manchester City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and West Sussex County Council
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children represent approximately 10 per cent of all children in care.
Often, these are youngsters who have left their homes in violent and traumatic circumstances and are in poor health.
Emma Midgley
November 27, 2007