Migrant Children's Project Newsletter September 2019 Follow us on Twitter If you used our guidance and resources recently, please take two minutes to help us improve them by completing our short survey here. Help with the EU settlement scheme for children, young people and families Do you work with EU national children, young people or families - or children and young people who are the family member of an EU national? Coram are supporting vulnerable children and young people (including looked after children and care leavers) to apply to the EU settlement scheme, so please get in touch to refer those in need of support! You can email us at [email protected] to make a referral. Through this project we are also providing nationality advice to EU / family member children and young people about their rights to British citizenship. For more information on the EU settlement scheme, including how it works for children in care, see our fact sheets here. For questions about the kinds of support we can provide email us on the email above or call us on 020 7713 2028. The end of family reunion within the EU for asylum-seeking children? This month the Guardian reported that if the UK left the EU without a 'deal' in October, then the EU Regulation that allows asylum-seeking children to reunite with family members living in the UK, the Dublin Regulation, would end on 31 October 2019. Coram Children's Legal Centre supports calls to continue the operation of the Dublin Regulation even in the event of a 'no deal' scenario, so that asylum-seeking children can be reunited with their family members wherever possible. The 'Dubs' scheme - new automatic grants of leave for some children The only other legal route for any asylum-seeking child to reach the UK from within Europe is the Dubs scheme (formally known as section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016), through which only 220 children have so far come to the UK since 2016. This month the government issued a statement saying that children transferred to the UK under the Dubs scheme would be automatically granted a form of immigration status - section 67 leave - when they arrived, though they would still be able to claim asylum. The statement also made clear that the government 'remained committed' to transferring 260 more children from Europe 'as soon as possible' (the total number promised through the Immigration Act 2016 was 480). For more information about the different kinds of outcomes for children claiming asylum in the UK, including section 67 leave, read out fact sheet here. If you have queries about these or other issues, please contact our advice line at [email protected]. Our upcoming training courses Our courses can all be booked online - just visit our Eventbrite page! An introduction to the rights of children and young people in the immigration system Coram Campus, London Tuesday, 26 November 2019, 2pm - 5pm Access to education for migrant children Coram Campus, London Thursday 17 October 2019, 2pm - 5pm The rights and entitlements of young refugees and migrants Coram Campus, London Wednesday, 9 October 2019, 10am - 4:30pm For more information and to book, please see our eventbrite page. To commission in-house training for your organisation, please see our website. New reports and guidance The Migration Observatory Local Data Guide Migration Observatory, University of Oxford Latest news How kids in care could 'slip through the net' under the Home Office's Brexit citizenship shake-up PoliticsHome, 27 September 2019 How children of EU nationals could be vulnerable to hostile immigration policies after Brexit inews, 24 September 2019 Home Office 'doomed to repeat the mistakes of Windrush' The Guardian, 18 September 2019 Anger as Home Office confirms primary school children of EU citizens to be checked for criminal records Independent, 10 September 2019 Partners of EU nationals waiting months for post-Brexit status under Home Office settlement scheme Independent, 15 September 2019 My young cousin fled the bombs … only to be held in a camp alongside Isis supporters The Observer, 14 September 2019 EU children in custody to be stripped of rights as Home Office prevents them from applying for settled status Independent, 9 September 2019 End NHS maternity charges for vulnerable migrants, say midwives The Guardian, 9 September 2019 Cross-party MPs: We must protect the rights of looked-after children after Brexit PoliticsHome, 2 September 2019 Home Office refused thousands of LGBT asylum claims, figures reveal The Guardian, 2 September 2019 Home Office planning to end family reunion for children after Brexit The Guardian, 1 September 2019 Britain promised to take 3,000 refugee children. So far it’s taken 220 Independent, 1 September 2019 Let us know what you think! Do you use our website, publications or advice line? Your thoughts and feedback help us ensure that we're providing the right information and support. Please take two minutes to complete our short survey. You can read our privacy policy here. If you have any questions or concerns about your data, you can contact us on [email protected]. |