Hammersmith leads on children alone in Calais
Last Thursday 18th August 2016 Clare Burnett from Hammersmith & Fulham Refugee Welcome Group, visited Calais with Stephen Cowan, Hammersmith & Fulham council leader, and other Ealing and Lambeth Council leaders to try to unblock the current impasse of children stuck in the so called ‘jungle’.
The visit, organised by Citizens UK, aimed to highlight the absurdity of Councils ready to take children immediately, and children stuck in Calais with no government mechanism for them to leave. H&F Refugee Welcome Group is very glad to be part of a council which is stepping forward to help despite limited resources.
Cllr. Cowan has been working closely with Lord Alf Dubs alongside Citizens UK. Hammersmith & Fulham Council is prepared to take at least 10 children as soon as the Home Office gives them permission to travel.
In May, former Prime Minister David Cameron agreed to accept unaccompanied child refugees with family links to the UK. (Guardian)
Currently there are 676 unaccompanied minors living in Calais many of whom have family in the UK or are eligible to come here under the Dubs amendment of the Immigration Act.
