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.

It is sad to see this happening, but as a country with are already stuggling with immigration, short housing and so many children waiting to be fostered. This country really needs to take care of its own before others! What about all the homeless British people who need housing and food? And I can bet any money that if it was us in this situation we wouldn't be welcome in their country. I feel so sorry for the children but the only outcome of this will be us suffering. People are blind to this.

'Faisal fled Afghanistan at the age of 15 and, after arriving in the UK, was held in a detention centre as an adult because the authorities did not believe he was a child. Faisal tells us of his horrific experience in the detention centre and how he felt he wasn’t treated like a human being.

'The Refugee Council launched this film in conjunction with its report, Not a Minor Offence, which details the experiences of many other young people like Faisal who have been detained, the problems with assessing the age of these young people, and recommendations for the government to ensure no child is detained. It also details the work the Refugee Council does to ensure children like Faisal are released from detention'.

Life for child refugees in the UK has a far better outcome than staying where they are in danger. Helping those in danger does not have largely negative outcomes for society. Ignoring those in danger has far more negative consequences.

Migrants and refugees are not responsible for the lack of resources and services that people in the UK suffer from or for their low incomes. Migrants and refugees are being used by the government as a scapegoat, something to blame things on.

Refugees cannot help their vulnerable situation. Would you blame a disabled person for taking sevices or resources away from others? If not, why blame immingrants and refugees for the UK's social and economic problems?

We might aswell hand over our homes to them and live on the streets. Whilst we are at it why don't we kiss their arses on their way in? Rediculous

bloggerme Brilliant post

'Migrants and refugees are not responsible for the lack of resources and services that people in the UK suffer from or their low incomes'

No of course they aren't responsible. However, the taxes raised to pay for these resources and services are finite, and raised by those who work in the UK. These are spread thinner and thinner with every migrant and refugee who comes to the UK.

Duly ignored Em, got better things to do than bother to engage - like work!

Another story about a child migrant, in the interests of balance. This one sexually assaulted 2 children. He is also from Afghanistan. He is 14.

www.rt.com/news/334189-germany-pool-migrants-sexual-abuse/

Emily You still haven't told us how many of these desperate "children" have you and your friends taken in.

Or, what's your personal limit on income tax? Or how many (more) months/years should my child wait for health services?

Does the money tree grow in an orchard alongside the foster parent tree and the social worker tree?

Nice work bloggerme.

Emily is not "listening", just waiting for an opportunity to talk at us and lecture us on her personal pet project - a lovely thing to have when you live thousands of miles away and dont actually have to do anything other than sit on your computer and berate everyone who doesnt agree with you.

She will not actually answer any questions or acknowledge any comments, other than to claim people are racist or lacking in compassion. So not much point in engaging here any more, because no matter what we say, Emily is not listening. Because heaven forbid facts get in the way of a good bit of right-on rhetoric.

Now now, surely everyone can afford to build a massive extension to their home specifically to house unlimited numbers of migrants. I mean, what kind of monster would refuse to do that?

I'm waiting to see what the next 'right on' trendy cause is that Emily is going to jump on (probably leaving this cause once it's not trendy).

Why is the UK seen as the land of milk and honey when there are so many homeless people, so many foodbanks,1.2 milllion unemployed and our healthcare system about to implode.

Your posts do lack compassion, fanny, as does the stating 'children' when many clearly are and attempt to discredit innocent children as dishonest liars.

You also link to people that help refugees and try to discredit them too.

Emily you cannot solve all the problems of the world and neither can we, the citizens of the UK.

Please re-read the excellent post by Bloggerme. This poster has tried to explain to you that, although the Uk people ARE compassionate and kind and our hearts DO go out to genuine refugees escaping war and terror, we have only so much in our small island and cannot help those who already live here enough to relieve our own poverty.
Please allow us the respect of acknowledging that.

Asking for 3000 refugee children to be admitted to England is hardly attempting to solve all the problems of the world, yuk.

Fanny and Onewing, for people that have previously stated in this thread that you have no wish to engage with me, you respond to my posts a lot.

Emily - your unwavering faith should be admirable - however you call to "help by joining FB groups" is just laughable. Until you're able to come up with even ONE solid, practical suggestion I'm afraid your "Student Union" style politics is just that - "compassion" without solution, "empathy" without substance and so forth.

You yourself help nobody, have rallied no support from your friends/family/colleagues/acquaintances and supporters, yet decry others as lacking in compassion. If I were a religious woman I'd sent you in the direction of the verses of Matthew; The Mote and The Beam.

You addressed me first, emily, so that was your decision. Besides, I don't like nonsense going unchallenged.

"Asking for 3000 refugee children to be admitted to England is hardly attempting to solve all the problems of the world, yuk."

And the next 3000? And the next 10000 after that? Would you turn them away? Hell would freeze over before you accepted any limit on "refugees" whatsoever, so don't pretend it would be only 3000.

If you ever build your extension, and have a 17-year-old male teenager from an completely different culture living full time under your roof at your own expense, then I'll take your moral indignation seriously.

OneWing perhaps Emily and the OP (whose husband is a historian) are unaware of the dilemma we call "Sophie's Choice".

Dilemma: There are 4000 children. Which 1000 do you choose to leave behind?

Which will you sacrifice?

The Greek root of the word "dilemma" should be understood before you pass judgement upon others.

Emily, I have only linked to one place - the prague newspaper that gave the figures for unaccompanied children in the czech republic. You are mistaking me for Fanakapan - another poster of similar name.

I am a foster carer. I look after two children of a different cultural heritage to my own. Because I lack compassion and I am a racist.

I just wrote and deleted a long post. But to summarise.... THERE ARENT ENOUGH FOSTER CARERS TO COPE WITH EXISTING DEMAND, LET ALONE 3000 MORE.

Maybe you could contact the czech fostering authorities and put yourself down as a possible host for a couple of migrant teens in need of a loving home. You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?

I think stating 'children' and call into the question the age of many innocent refugee children is not a terribly compassionate response, neither is dismissing the people concerned about them as 'hand wringers' or 'virtue signallers'.

What the Czech Republic or other countries have done isn't relevant to this thread and what the UK has done. The inaction of other countries doesn't excuse the UK's inaction. If you would like to start a new thread about the Czech Republic's response to refugees or fostering refugees in the Czech Republic, you can.

You mentioned Coram's statistics on those being assessed regarding age. Doubt surrounding age does not confirm that theyare adults, it simply shows doubt. Coram clearly state that this doubt often leads to childen being placed in detention centres for adults and that the doubt is frequently due toan attitude of disbelief witin the border agency that needs to be addressed.

Do you not see that when you state 'children' you infer that they are all like that when the vast majority clearly aren't? You are a foster carer, so I am surpised and saddened that you appear to want to cast resentment and doubt over the validity of refugee children's status.

What the Czech Republic or other countries have done isn't relevant to this thread and what the UK has done.

You would rather focus on and tell us what the UK is/should be doing rather than focus on where you are actually living.

You constantly seem to put down foster carers on this thread that are doing a tough job, just because they don't agree with you.

I've just cottoned on that Emily does not even live in the UK. I actually cannot believe the arrogance of her. She sounds utterly deluded, and devoid of any real life experience. Are you very young Emily? She answers no questions, but just post links.

Your breast beating and pleading cuts no ice with me, and your utter disdain for some of the posters on here who have tried to educate you about the social realities of life in the UK is truly shocking.

From what i've read on here, i'm guessing you're a No Borders activist by the agenda you are desperately trying to push.

I think some of the outrage and use of 'children' is because of things like the photo in the OP - people feel like they being are made fools of...

We are talking about mainly older teens, mainly male. Why show a cute photo of small children unless there is an intent to deceive?
And again why are the unaccompanied children older male teens? If they are fleeing in danger of their lives surely there would be an equal number of older female teens? The dangers facing them on the journey would be worth facing - if the alternative was imminent death.
And again someone has paid for their journey...who and why?

Got it in one petitpois! Emily lives in some parallel universe where the magic money trees grow. I too suspect she is very young. If you want a laugh, read the No Borders manifesto.

Sorry unlucky, I didn't realise the law had been changed in the UK since I've been gone and you're now an adult at, what,13? I'm guessing children in the UK now live independently at age 13 and are self supporting, not in school or anything like that?

It's not like anyone ever paid to flee a warzone before is it? Noone did that during the Bosnian war did they? They never paid smugglers to get to the UK did they?

These kids can't becoming to escape death can they unlucky, I mean it's not like there's been any war in Syria or Afghanistan recently is it?