Guest post: "Britain must not turn its back on child refugees in Europe"

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I can only imagine my desperation if I had to consider sending my boys away just to keep them safe.

But if I ever had to, I’d want a mother like Karen to be there for them. Karen is an amazing woman who told her story of fostering a refugee boy and brought huge attention to a campaign to get more refugee children settled safely in Britain.

This week, MPs had the chance to vote to let mothers like Karen keep doing what they want to do - opening their homes and their hearts to refugee children who are in Europe all alone without a mum or dad to look after them. I'm ashamed to say that they did not, and that the government decided to close the door to the thousands of children who need our help. The campaign was only asking for 3,000 children to come to Britain. To put that in context – that would be just five children per parliamentary constituency, and nowhere near the 10,000 mostly Jewish children that Britain saved through the Kindertransport before the Second World War.

I took a special interest in this vote because I have been working at Theirworld to help create school places for Syrian refugee children in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, where many fleeing families arrive first. I have been focused on how to make sure that children never embark on a further dangerous journey to find a safe haven. When I saw that the British parliament was considering a vote to offer a welcome to 3,000 lone children who really need us to open our hearts and homes, I wanted to add my support. So last week I wrote to my local MP for the first time ever. I wanted his backing for refugee children, an issue that goes well beyond party politics. I know lots of Mumsnetters contacted their MPs too and have heard from many of you on Twitter. It was devastating to see the government vote down the proposal to give safety to lone refugee children in Europe.

But this does not stop there. The House of Lords last night voted to back the bill thanks to the efforts of Lord Dubs and other campaigners. So it goes back to the House of Commons next Tuesday with a chance for MPs to reconsider their vote and help 3,000 lone children.

One of the ways you can help them think again is to sign this petition. If enough of us do it then perhaps a few more MPs will listen and reconsider their vote. In pushing for this change we won't be on our own – we have the backing of lots of energetic dedicated groups like Citizens UK, Save the Children, HelpRefugees and others. This weekend the former Archbishop of Canterbury gave his blessing, arguing that this is a chance to honour what our parents and grandparents did in the face of an earlier catastrophe.

This is not a question of sparking a new political controversy - that is not my way and not the Mumsnet way, I don't think - it is a matter of simple humanity. While we can't ensure that every child is safe in his or her own country, we can act to prevent children dying on our doorstep here in Europe, and ensure a safe home and education and hope for a better future.

As long as this terrible crisis runs on and horribly on - then we have obligations to the children who are here in our continent. Our MPs now have a second chance to help these vulnerable children and we should help them to take it.

Please join me, and sign here: Britain must not turn its back on child refugees in Europe.

There are foster parents out there with empty beds, yes. But I dont know of ANY foster carers who foster teens and have empty beds - baby carers, yes. Tots and preschoolers , under 12s - yes to all of these. But teen carers are like rocking horse poo, there arent enough of them to go around, and kids are frequently ferried across county lines to find a new carer. ALso those that take on asylum seekers are often enhanced foster carers - they are paid more because they take on really troubled children and will only take on a single child.

In our area, almost all asylum seeker children are fostered through an agency - which costs the LA a fortune. And please dont think "oh its only 10 kids per LA" - at present, around 15% of fostered kids in our county are asylum seeker teens. Of all teens in care, over 1/3rd are asylum seekers.

Local authorities are already doing quite a lot with these "children" and others teens from around the world.

Sorry Fanny, I'm confused. 'Local authorities are already doing quite a lot with these "children" and others teens from around the world'. Why 'children' in inverted commas? Do you think teenagers aren't children?

19 year olds aren't - and as recent history has proven time and time again (c.f., Sweden, Germany, Austria, UK, et al for further info.) - these "children" are frequently found to be in their 20s, never mind teens - it is disingenuous to suggest they're vulnerable toddlers.

Anyway Emily, any answers to the questions yet which have been posted multiple times?

To help you out with a little of your previous misunderstanding, you claimed that there were many, many beds available for unaccompanied "teens". As has previously been relayed by a PP who is a foster carer - "teens" with problems are frequently not allowed to be fostered when other children are present. This means that whilst a foster carer might have 2 beds, when one is occupied then the other cannot be given to one of these "children" you'd like to be brought into the country.

I think 'frequently' is stretchingit, Hildur and I haven't heard of it happening in the UK.

Under 18 is clearly still legally a child which is why I queried Fanny's stance. I gather she is also a foster carer so it seemed a cynical remark for someone who spends so much time caring for children.

2000+ unaccompanied minors seek asylum last year, of which age was disputed in 488 cases (this is from CORAM - the children's legal aid charity) - so in roughly a quarter of all cases, there is sufficient doubt as to the age of the child to prompt an investigation. So "Children" is correct - you cannot assume that every "child" coming into care is in fact a child.

emily, I have friends who are foster parents.

ATM (or possibly recently) they have an Albanian "boy" staying with them. He claims to be 16, but has had X-rays on his teeth which apparently prove he is in his early 20s.

He will be (or maybe has been) deported.

Apparently he goes out all day to work in a hand car wash. He is apparently likely to be bonded to someone who has been here longer, and paid for his travel.

So, yes, it does happen in the UK.

(I am sure that there are many actual unaccompanied children amongst the refugees, of course. One anecdote is not data.)

72% of minors found to be adults in Denmark after age assessment.

Fanny, the fact that their ages was disputed doesn't mean that the majority were adults posing as children, it simply means their ages were doubted. Coram states that there is still a culture of disbelief regarding age witin the UK border agency and that this sometimes leads to children being wrongly placed in adult detention centres.

Coram provides legal assistance to children wrongly placed in adult detention centres, which is a huge risk to their safety. 20 children were detained as adults in 2011and 13 in 2012. Coram highlightsthe importance of addressing the culture of disbeliefand the negative impact on children.

Whether it happens or not, it can't be used as a reason for not helping refugee children. The argument that the UK already helps foreign children is also not a reason for refusing to help these children. More should be done to help the children of this huge humanitarian disaster.

Just to add to the confusion (sorry!!) here's a quote from thelocal.dk: According to UNICEF, the births of nearly 230 million children under the age of five worldwide, or around one in three, have never been recorded, meaning that they cannot document their age and, in many cases, do not even know their exact age

It seems to me that - at least in cases where the age discrepancy appears flagrant - testing is going to become even more important

Can't you see it's a safeguarding issue if you place dishonest men in a classroom with girls, in foster placements with women and looked after girls? These men are coming from misogynist cultures. These men are taking up spaces designed to meet the needs of children. These men are costing tens of thousands of pounds to the UK tax payer. I don't want these Men. I would be happy to accept pre school children who are easy to place in foster care, can adapt to our culture and are genuine children, I gather there are no children fitting that description.

Yes, that would be a safeguarding issue howto, as would be placing children in adult detention centres. The procedure of age assessment needs to be accurate and humane.

13 year olds like the boy linked to in the op are clearly not adults and have every right to be educated with other children and to be offered protection.

Children of any age can adapt with the right support, as the boy in the op has. He is from Afghanistan and seems to have adapted well.

There are many that are genuine children needing help. The culture they come from is no reason to write them off or label them as dangerous. I find it sad that you are afraid of c hildren escaping war and terrorism. I amsure the lad linked to in the op didn't like the misogyny of the Taliban any more than you do.

Emily, home office stats said that of the 488 who were age assessed, 58% were found to be over 18. so whats that - c.275 "children" - so over 10% of the total number of children claiming asylum were not children at all.

ANd I agree it should not be the reason to not help kids.

The reason, which you seem unable and unwilling to acknowledge, is the lack of available foster carers for our own local kids - children who are stuck in terrible environments because there are no home for them too go to.

There aren't the resources to help another 3000 kids, because there is already a shortfall of foster carers, especially carers who will take in teenagers. ANd while there is a massive recruitment drive, its going to take a year before the new ones are assessed and trained. Meanwhile, loads more foster carers will leave the system because the government is cutting cutting cutting away at budgets, and adding to the red tape required. Fostering relies heavily on good will and compassion. Its not profitable, and we often work at a loss.

The lying about age thing ...years ago I worked in an inner city primary school in the UK. There was one child in a class of 10-11yos that was looked easily 14. I mentioned it to the teacher and she agreed - apparently they saw it a lot in children from that background. They seemed to think the longer they got in school the more education they got. (It was mainly boys - the girls they didn't seem to value their education as much) She said they had children from another background where they thought the quicker they got through school the better so they apparently lied the other way - said the child was older. They had one class of 6yos with a child who seemed 10 and another that seemed 3-4 yo ...
And it is nothing new - DPs father was an immigrant to an EU country many years ago and he lied about his age - he said he was older than he was. He's dead now so can't ask why but DP thinks he might have thought he'd get a pension sooner...

Fanakapan to borrow the remark a very wise social worker once made to me: "You're in danger of bringing common sense into it"

If you agree that it shouldn't be a reason not to help, then why pay so much attention to it, fanny? As a foster carer,surely you are well aware that whilst some men may pose as children, there are many children in need of help who are not responsible for anyone's dishonesty

Whilst there are difficulties, I am surprised by the your denial that a broad response is absolutely needed. The same arguments about lack of resources and 'Britain is full' style of arguments were made in 1939 against Jewish refugees coming to the UK. I have to say I am horrified by the lack of compassion shown by some foster carers on this thread.

There has been a massive outpouring of support for refugees amongst the public. The Coram Centre states, 'Thousands have considered becoming foster carers and since September 2015, the Migrant Children’s Project at Coram Children’s Legal Centre has provided training and information to hundreds of individuals keen to do more to help children seeking asylum. Where authorities such as Kent are dealing with unmanageable numbers, other local authorities are being called on to take more unaccompanied children to ensure that there is a more even distribution across the country, with the Home Office providing funding for this group. '

The government can provide funds for these children. While there may be problems in providing the right kind of accomodation and assistance for them, every effort must be made to do so. More could be done to recruit and train foster carers.

I have to say I am horrified by the lack of compassion shown by some foster carers on this thread.

So people explain to you how the system works and everything surrounding it. Shortage of foster carers for children in the UK. How hard it is etc and that is your response?

Are you going to train to be a foster carer then?

More could be done to recruit and train foster carers. Emily, this is very, very expensive. If we do have more foster carers, children in the UK should have priority.

The government can provide funds for these children Emily, there isnt a bottomless pit of cash. You reside in another country but you seem quite happily allocate my taxes to pay for adults pretending to be children I dont want here. Why dont you ask your country to do more?

Yes Oranges I am surprised and shocked that some foster carers on this thread, that are likely to have experience of working with vulnerable children, support David Cameron's decision to close the door to other vulnerable children that are now likely to be exploited and trafficked as a consequence and to be left alone to live in fear. I would have expected there to have been some attempt to find solutions, rather than an acceptance that it can't be done.

I am not in the UK so I can't foster these children. I help people at a detention centre, which is the most I can do at the moment.

I have asked my country to do more Anna and have signed this petition asking them to do more.

Where authorities such as Kent are dealing with unmanageable numbers, other local authorities are being called on to take more unaccompanied children to ensure that there is a more even distribution across the country, with the Home Office providing funding for this group.
Upthread you called into question one foster carer who said the LA were talking about the children coming from Calais...and now you've posted something that proves it is happening - the system is already under pressure and the UK have already taken migrant unaccompanied children in.

And 'the government can provide funds' - the country is currently running at a massive deficit - £50 billion . That is not our debt that is how much we are going further into debt every year. The reason for austerity and benefit cuts. So 'funds from the government' have to come from somewhere - either increase that debt - or come from somewhere else...some other service has to suffer or taxes have to be increased ....unless we are back to the magic money tree again...

AnnaForbes
You reside in another country but you seem quite happily allocate my taxes to pay for adults pretending to be children I don't want here. Why don't you ask your country to do more?

An excellent question Anna. Hungary continues to refuse to accept a single legitimate asylum seeker. I too would like to know if and what she has been doing to lobby her government for change but I fear we shall have a long wait.

Thanks Rorty.

Emily, I should have said "country of residence" not "country". Please correct me if Im wrong, you live in the Czech Republic dont you? If that is where you pay your taxes, then you should be petitioning the Gov there. (and if i'm right about your country of residence, the Government there does bugger all). Have you asked them to take a greater role in helping migrant children?

I'm getting bloody cross reading this!!
Someone who doesn't contribute to this nations economy telling us how our taxes must be spent is beyond the pale. Of course I feel sorry for genuine refugees but why will they not claim asylum in France or Italy or any other Country.
They don't need to be in Calais, if they were genuine they'd claim asylum and it is not this Country's fault what the Frech police do.
This Country is in the red and we are already taking refugees from camps as per the government plan. Why do they all want to come here? We have a housing crisis and the NHS is on the bones of it's arse and our schools are creaking yet the UK still gets to be the destination of choice. No objection to legal immigration through the proper channels but I strongly object to someone telling us what we should do
Bloody sick of it and don't anyone try and call me racist because you don't know me or what colour I am.

"'Thousands have considered becoming foster carers and since September 2015, the Migrant Children’s Project at Coram Children’s Legal Centre has provided training and information to hundreds of individuals keen to do more to help children seeking asylum."

I'm sure they have.

I also wonder how many of these individuals starting backing away after it became clear to them that the large majority of those classified as child refugees are males claiming to be 16 or 17 (and in a lot of cases, appearing to be quite a bit older in reality), not primary-school-aged poppets.

...or how many back away knowing that their own credentials will be checked. That's they will have to have one person at home at all times, so one will have to give up work. Or that these children and "children" may have PTSD that may result in severe mental health issues.

While its a lovely idea that everyone in the UK can just open their doors (because everyone has a spare room right? our houses are so cheap and the cost of living is so reasonable!!) and take in a child and give up their careers to look after them, while putting their own family at risk (this is not a statement about the refugees exclusively - violence is a characteristic of many traumatised children in the care

And yet our Czech friend's country is one of the lowest offering asylum....in 2014, they only had 38 asylum seekers from Syria. here Id love to know the current figures - any information Emily?

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"