If we are to take more Syrian refugees, Labour needs to call for more foster placements

On the Andrew Marr show, the Chancellor, George Osborne, confirmed that he is keen for the UK to take on more “orphans”. I prefer the term used by Marr, “unaccompanied children”, as often in war zones, the extended families of unaccompanied children are still alive. If there is a chance that these children could be reunited with their birth families, then it is important that suitable foster placements are found for them.

Save The Children estimates that there are 13,000 children unaccompanied children in refugee camps, and this figure is set to rise to 26,000 by the end of September. Save The Children believes that realistically the UK can absorb 3,000 of these children.

According to The Fostering Network, we have a shortage of 9,000 foster carers. Coalition, and Conservative funding cuts mean that the sector has faced a pummelling in the last five years. Both the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF), and The College of Social Work (TCSW) have been forced to close due to financial pressure. Even the Conservative led Local Government Association has called for extra support to help refugees to the UK.

During his interview on Marr, the Chancellor made a vague commitment to reallocate some of the foreign aid budget to local government. I believe Labour should push for further details on how, and where this money will be spent. Kent County Council has already accepted children seeking asylum, the number of unaccompanied child asylum seekers in Kent has more than doubled since May. It now stands at 630. Kent has now run out of foster placements, has a shortfall of £5.5 million in what it spends on caring for children, and has suggested a national dispersal system is introduced.

Promises from the public, and celebrities that they will welcome refugees into their homes are a good first step. However, fostering children who have come from a war zone requires a specific set of skills. Carers will need to be culturally aware of the backgrounds, religions and languages of these children, and therapeutic support will also need to be made available. It would be great if we could capitalise on this new surge of support to recruit more foster carers, both for children seeking asylum in the UK and plug the 9,000 shortfall.

At the general election, the Liberal Democrats were the only political party to call for additional support for foster carers in their manifesto, I believe it was a mistake for Labour not to highlight this issue.

In the Budget, the government pledged £30 million to establish new regional adoption consortia. Labour could put pressure on the Government to use this model to develop the new “national dispersal system”, suggested by Kent County Council. Labour could also call for the new £19.2 million Adoption Support Fund, launched in April this year, to be increased and extended to children seeking asylum as they too will need therapeutic support.

Camilla Clarke is a member of the Young Fabians.