A report due to be considered by politicians at Dorset County Council today reveals that the council is currently accommodating 13 unaccompanied refugee children.
But based on the requirements of the voluntary scheme - which launched in July 2016 in a bid to relieve pressure on so-called "gateway authorities" such as Kent County Council - the council could be expected accept up to 0.07 per cent of its 0-19 population.
For Dorset, this equates to a total of 54, which means the council could theoretically be required to take on a further 41 children.
The report, put together by the council's director of children's services Sara Tough, calculates that provision for 50 children could cost as much as £5.3m per year. However, government contributions towards the cost would come to less than £1.7m - leaving a funding gap of £3.6m.
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