London Labour councils’ plea to Rudd over “chaos” facing refugees at Calais “Jungle”

This is the letter published by several London Labour councils, with Citizen’s UK, whose charity Safe Passage is helping to register refugee children so they can come to Britain.

Dear Home Secretary

There are over 1,200 children in the Calais “Jungle” refugee camp. There is much that could go wrong during the chaos and confusion that is already evident during the first day of the camp’s demolition.

We therefore suggest the following:

1. Charities and volunteers have been working with these children for a very long time. We urge the Home Office to work with them to collate and cross-check the details of all the children to ensure that no child is left behind.

We are pleased that the Home Office has relented and is now taking children applicable to come to the UK under the Dubs amendment in addition to the children being resettled with their families who have arrived under the Dublin III Regulation.

As you know, some councils have found the capacity to take more unaccompanied asylum-seeking children despite being at the level of the Home Office’s voluntary National Transfer Scheme. However, councils have had their budgets cut by over two thirds since 2010 so we make no judgement on those that have not.

We do however suggest two more important ways you could help aid the better management of this crisis and encourage more councils to join your National Transfer Scheme:

2. Provide a multi-year funding commitment so councils can better plan help for refugee children under the National Transfer Scheme.

3. Provide casework support for Dublin III children, who while predominantly resettled with their families, still need help integrating and settling in.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Signed,

Camden Council
Ealing Council
Hammersmith and Fulham Council
Hounslow Council
Islington Council
Lambeth Council
Lewisham Council
Redbridge Council.