Child Protection

East Ayrshire Supports Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and Young People

East Ayrshire Council  has agreed to support the resettlement in East Ayrshire of up to six unaccompanied asylum seeking children and young people fleeing danger, conflict and persecution from war-torn countries.

The proposal was approved by Cabinet today, having been previously agreed by East Ayrshire’s Integrated Joint Board (IJB) on 27 November.

Thanks to the skills developed by support staff within East Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership while working with 50 asylum seeking families as part of the Syrian resettlement scheme, and funding available from the Home Office, appropriate housing support can be offered to these children.

Under the voluntary National Transfer Scheme, unaccompanied children can be transferred to other local authorities willing to take responsibility for them. Since October 2017 four unaccompanied children have arrived in East Ayrshire and have received housing support.

Michael Breen, Chair of the IJB said: “People are at the centre of all we do in East Ayrshire and it’s right that we extend that compassion to others who need our help.”

Marion MacAuley, Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services added:

“Supporting the Transfer Scheme is the right thing to do. These are young people alone in a crisis and need our help. There is a real willingness in our community to support people in crisis as was shown by the way the community supported the Syrian refugee families.”

Participation in the National Transfer Scheme aligns with the values of East Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership and the Council’s Community Plan which promotes equality, diversity and inclusiveness.

View the full report here 

ENDS

 

Notes to editors

Notes for Editors

  1. The Integrated Joint Board overseas the planning and development of health and social care services for the East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership. Members include Cllr Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council, Eddie Fraser, Director of EAHSCP, Michael Breen, chair of the IJB
  1. To ease the pressure on local authorities the Immigration Act 2016 introduced a National Transfer Scheme to disperse unaccompanied asylum seeking children around the UK. This legislation was extended to Scotland on 7 February 2018, making it possible for Scottish local authorities to participate in this scheme. The agreed protocol sets out that the transfer of UASC to Scotland will be led by the capacity determined by the local authority.
  2. The National Transfer Scheme for UASC remains voluntary. A Scottish Protocol was published on 16 April 2018 and set out how Scottish local authorities will interact with the scheme and be led by the capacity determined by the local authority.
  3. This was jointly developed by the Home Office, COSLA and the working group to reflect Scottish circumstances and is subject to continuing review.
  4. The receiving Scottish local authority becomes legally responsible for the young person from the point of physical transfer into their care. The local authority then needs to comply with obligations under the Looked After children (Scotland) Regulations 2009.
  5. The receiving Scottish local authority becomes legally responsible for the young person from the point of physical transfer into their care. The local authority then needs to comply with obligations under the Looked After children (Scotland) Regulations 2009.
  6. The receiving Scottish local authority becomes legally responsible for the young person from the point of physical transfer into their care. The local authority then needs to comply with obligations under the Looked After children (Scotland) Regulations 2009
  7. Whilst local authorities’ participation in the National Transfer Scheme is voluntary there are provisions within the Immigration Act 2016 that enables the Secretary of State to require local authorities to cooperate in the transfer of UASC. To date this power has not been used.
  8. UK immigration law requires that young asylum seekers be treated as

children until they reach the age of 18. After the age of 18, the Immigration Act 2016 requires local authorities to withdraw any support as the young person will have no recourse to public funds.