UK government backtracks on promise to take child refugees

Eritrean child in Calais Jungle last summer - ICN

On the International day of Prayer and Awareness of Human Trafficking, the British government announced that it was closing a scheme to take in 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees - after accepting just 350 children. Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said local authorities only "have capacity for around 400 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children until the end of this financial year" and said the country should be "proud" of its contribution to finding homes for refugees.

So far only 200 of those children have been found homes in the UK. Another 150 are due to be placed this year.

In May last year, the UK government promised to take in 3,000 lone child refugees under the Dubs amendment - promoted by Labour peer Lord Dubs - himself a survivor of Kindertransport during the Second World War. Lord Dubs has described the government about turn as "shameful".. "They shouldn't close the scheme, they should take more children as more local authorities step up to the mark and offer foster places," he said.

Tom Viita, Head of Advocacy at Christian Aid, said: 'Protecting people fleeing their homes is no one country's responsibility - it demands global cooperation. Today's announcement is not only a broken promise to vulnerable children, but a rejection of our international responsibilities.

'After Trump's refugee ban in recent weeks, it is shocking to see the UK sending out another deeply worrying message to the rest of the world. Theresa May and her government need to be pulling Trump up, rather than following him downwards.

'The international community, the UK included, needs to find a fair way of sharing responsibility for people forcibly displaced from their homes. We are experiencing global displacement on a level not seen since the Second World War. Poor countries are hosting most people in dire need and here we are once again, one of the richest countries in the world, attempting to shirk responsibility.'

The announcement by the government earlier today states that local authorities only have provision to provide housing and care for 350 unaccompanied children. Responding to that claim, Mr. Viita continued: "UK immigration policy is set by Ministers in the Home Office, not local authorities. Passing the buck to them is an abdication of responsibility.

"The UK needs to play a full role in the international community's response to the refugee crisis and work with other nations to find effective longer-term solutions that honour everybody's human dignity."

According to EU data nearly 90,000 unaccompanied children sought asylum in Europe in 2015 - four times more than the previous year. 13% were under 14.

Source: Christian Aid/ICN