Charities call for stronger support for unaccompanied Afghan children

The Home Office is currently responsible for scores of unaccompanied minors who have fled Afghanistan following a Taliban resurgence.

Home Secretary Priti Patel announced last week that the UK would welcome 20,000 Afghan refugees over three years including 5,000 women and children this year.

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According to the Ministry of Defence, 8,458 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan by the UK since 13 August.

However, charities including The Children’s Society have accused the government of “letting down children” and “denying them basic needs”.

The charity’s policy team said in a statement: “We are extremely concerned about the situation facing young refugees in the UK. The situation in Afghanistan shows once again how important it is for us to help those who need protection.

“The Home Office has a safeguarding duty to promote and protect the welfare of all separated children in their care. But we know many of these children are being let down and put at risk – being placed in hotels and denied basic needs.

“It is imperative children housed in hotels are moved as quickly as possible into safe and supportive accommodation. The Home Office and local authorities must make sure children receive the appropriate support and care they are entitled to by law.”

It comes following the death of five-year-old Mohammed Munib Majeedi who fell from a ninth-floor window of a hotel in Sheffield where he was staying with his family just 15 days after arriving in the UK from Afghanistan.

The Children’s Society, led by its youth-led commission for separated children, is also campaigning for independent legal guardians to be given to all separated children.

“We also have to make sure the forthcoming Nationality and Borders Bill does not make it harder for refugees and asylum seekers to receive the protection and help they need,” the charity said.

Next month, the placement of children under-16 in the care of local authorities in unregulated accommodation, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs, will be banned following a Department for Education consultation.

In July, a coalition of 70 charities wrote to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson criticising the use of such accommodation for child refugees. 

“Extremely vulnerable children are being held in short-term holding facilities and accommodated in hotels with very limited adult supervision and care”.

“These facilities are completely inappropriate as accommodation for children, and were never intended to meet this purpose,” the letter, led by Children England states.

A government spokesperson said: “The asylum system is being exploited by criminal gangs who facilitate dangerous, unnecessary and illegal small boat crossings. 

“Our Nationality and Borders Bill will fix this broken system to deter these dangerous and illegal crossings. 

“To meet our legal duties additional temporary accommodation is being used to house asylum-seeking children in safe and secure accommodation, before placements can take place through the National Transfer Scheme. 

“We continue to work with all local authorities as well as the Department for Education to ensure needs are met.”

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.