First Child Refugees from Calais Arrive in Hounslow Borough

Part of group displaced from 'the Jungle' after dismantling of camp

The first unaccompanied child displaced from the 'jungle' refugee camp at Calais has already been resettled with relatives in the borough by Hounslow Children's Services.

The child is one of the 100 identified minors who will be brought over by the Home Office under a registration scheme, as the camp is dismantled either because they have family ties in the UK or through a programme to give refuge to unaccompanied children from Europe.

Social workers in Hounslow have been working closely with the Home Office to ensure that the children coming to Hounslow are safely reunited if possible, with family members.

Children services will be cassessing how best to support the families to care for the young people and to ensure they receive timely access to health, education and other support services.

This will involve education, housing, voluntary sector and health services working together to meet the needs of these vulnerable children and young people.

Councillor Tom Bruce, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, Hounslow Council, said: “We as a council are delighted to be able to help these young people who have experienced horrendous conditions since leaving their country of origin.

“We want to ensure that these children and young adults are able to settle into communities easily. Those that arrive from Calais will require the care and support packages we can offer and we will as a as a council, have the right to assess and ensure arrangements that are made are in the interest of the children and young people coming to Hounslow.”

We asked Hounslow Council if the ages of the refugees arriving in the borough under the scheme had documentation proving their age and what measures were in place to verify their age if not. We have yet to receive a response.

October 25, 2016