Comment on latest Home Office NTS announcement

17 Feb 2022 in Safeguarding and Child Protection > Asylum >

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Commenting on the latest Home Office announcement on the NTS, ADCS President Charlotte Ramsden said:

“ADCS has been working with local authorities and officials in the Department for Education and the Home Office for several years towards a sustainable, child focussed solution to the rising number of asylum-seeking children arriving alone on UK shores. ADCS recognises the importance of finding an equitable solution to address this national crisis, relieve pressure in gateway authorities and meet children’s needs.

“Many hundreds of children have already been settled across the country via the voluntary National Transfer Scheme and more recently the nationally mandated scheme. We recognise the current urgency of need over and above what is already being offered and therefore the response from the Home Office which means that all authorities will participate. Mandating participation however, is not the whole solution to the many pressing and longstanding issues we have been raising with the government for some time. These include having the right placements in the right places, the availability of specialist mental health support, historically low funding rates for us to support care leavers and the timeliness of decision making in relation to immigration status. ADCS will continue to work with government on these pressing issues.”

ENDS