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.

Anyone that enters our home can harmour child, Hildur. Do you think we should all ban strangers from entering our homes?

I wouldn't let them sleep in the room next to my children, would you?

Your stranger-danger shtick is a bit of a straw-man isn't it!? What do you make of the fact this "child" was in fact not a "child", but a fully-grown sex-offender posing as a child? And that the family had taken the "children" into their home - made way for the "children" and then one of the "children" sexually assaulted their daughter?

Please note: this family juggled around the family's sleeping arrangements to make this happen - didn't you say you couldn't help anyone because you didn't have room? If this family were able to make room, I'm wondering what your real reason is for not letting a "child" sleep near your daughter. Are you not compassionate?

emilybohemia

You were warned that open borders for so-called "children" was dangerous, and now you have the proof. But I don't expect a little thing like facts to change your blinkered ideology.

Hildur, if I vacated my home and let refugees use it, you would still find a problem.

Onewing, an article in the Daily Mail isn't proof that refugee children are dangerous and to state it is belies facts and is a tad hysteical. Chuntering on about open borders again is going on off on a tangent of fantasy and paranoia again. Try to keep things in perspective.

emily

"Onewing, an article in the Daily Mail isn't proof that refugee children are dangerous and to state it is belies facts and is a tad hysteical"

He has BEEN CONVICTED. What more proof could you possibly need? This adult migrant LIED about being a child, he was taken into a home, and committed a SEXUAL ASSAULT.

What the hell more do you need to face reality? And when will you be taking in migrants and putting yourself at risk rather than forcing the risk down our throats?

It is really difficult to have much perspective over a 10 year old child being sexually molested though? It is really difficult not to feel anger at the man, because it seems he was a full grown man, that did this. Ok it was at least not rape, but it could have easily been so. It was incontravertable proof that this particular man was dangerous to this child. It was not a fantasy what happened to her, she will have to live with that particular reality for the rest of her life, it may affect her relationships forever. Not all may be like this, but these stories keep coming to light and as much as the Daily Mail may like a good story due to libel and other laws governing the press even they have to stick to facts, and don't forget they championed the cause of the children coming to the UK.

The perspective in all this is no not all these children may be like this, but some will be, and someones daughter or son may have to pay the price for that. Is that a price you would be willing to pay? It might not be your own child but it could be a neighbour's, a friend's, a relative's. What would be your choice?

Sporting, feeling anger at a man molesting a child is very different to directing anger, hate and suspicion to all child refugees. An adult molesting a child does not remove the need for safety for child refugees. Asserting that the behaviour of a few individuals represents the majority is illogical, dishonest and has no place in intelligent and fair debate.

Onewing, there are thousands of refugees, adults and children. Do you seriously claim we should fear them all because of what a few individuals have done? If you claim that there is strong chance of refugees being rapists or sex attackers, that really is a distortion of the truth and is not 'reality.'

emily

"Do you seriously claim we should fear them all because of what a few individuals have done?"

You may be prepared to accept an increased number of murders, rapes, and sexual assaults as the price of your open-borders utopia (but only in other people's homes, of course, not your own). I am not, and I will vote against it to my last breath.

'your open-borders utopia'

A figment of your imagination, onewing.

'You may be prepared to accept an increased number of murders, rapes, and sexual assaults... '

Unsubstantiated codswallop and frothing nonsense as usual.

^ I though we'd established she wasn't prepared to accept them though, onewing, it was for others to accept them at her behest.

But most adults don't pretend to be children do they? I've never come across an older person pretending to be a minor, it's usually the other way round (mainly to get served in the pub). It is something that does seem to be peculiar to this situation. Most adult sex offenders can only pretend to be children in the online sphere where thay are hiding behind a computer. Once it gets to face to face it would be very difficult.

The problem is the issues related to this seem to be very widespread given that the refugees/migrants are a minority within any given country. Yes there are sex offences committed by other attackers of other demographics but these seem to have a particular modus operandi which singles them out.

For the record I feel anger at anyone who attacks a child whatever their ethnicity, sex, religion or other distinguishing characteristics.

"Unsubstantiated codswallop and frothing nonsense as usual."

It's totally substantiated - you just said "Do you seriously claim we should fear them all because of what a few individuals have done?". I hate to have to teach you basic lessons in elementary logic, but that means you DO accept the crimes committed by some migrants as a price worth paying for your great humanitarian mission to let millions of them flood into Europe.

Still, at least you can no longer lie about the facts: clearly at least some adult migrants do lie about being children, they do commit rapes and sexual assaults and murders, even against the soft-headed fools who take them into their homes! The revolting ingratitude of it!

emily

"'your open-borders utopia'

A figment of your imagination, onewing."

So go on then, prove me wrong: what limit would you place upon the number of refugees entering Europe and / or the UK?

Lesson in logic part 2: if you refuse to answer, or refuse to state a specific limit, that means you do believe in an open-borders utopia.

Go on - prove me wrong!

Do you believe Emily that there should be no limits to the amount of refugees/migrants allowed to settle in Europe?

I would love for Emily to have some immigrants live with her. She'd soon change her tune

'The problem is the issues related to this seem to be very widespread given that the refugees/migrants are a minority within any given country. '

Rape and sexual assault really isn't widespread amongst refugees. To suggest it is is pure fantasy and a propensity to have one's opinions shaped by the tabloid press and the baying mob.

emily

"Rape and sexual assault really isn't widespread amongst refugees."

I'm sure that will be such a comfort to their victims.

'if you refuse to answer, or refuse to state a specific limit, that means you do believe in an open-borders utopia'.

Onewing, this is another example of your bizarre logic.

I have lived with an immigrant, missmatted and had a child with them. What an unpleasant statement.

That's a horrific report, Hildur. That poor girl and her poor family.

How could anyone support bringing in unlimited numbers of young men without verifying their age? Especially young men from the MENA, with their misogynistic attitudes and ideology.

Emily your husband is a MENA immigrant? That explains a lot.

"I have lived with an immigrant, missmatted and had a child with them. What an unpleasant statement."

What on earth does that have to do with anything? You regard open borders as a noble thing, so why is being asked if you believe in open borders "unpleasant"?

No limits on immigration = belief in open borders. Simple as that, so either state a limit, or accept that you believe in open borders.

Sporting, why not discuss the op instead of interrogating me about my beliefs? Or you could start a thread on howmany refugees should be allowed into Europe.

What's mismatted is it some new kind of thing? Am I out of touch and not down with the kids enough.

I meant that it seems to be hitting the press a lot, of course if it's just made up stuff then I am truly relieved that it's not really happening.

Your husband 'immigrant' may well be from a first world developed country where oppressing women isn't the norm