£29m council funding for vulnerable children

Sajid Javid has announced that councils will receive an additional £29 million to boost their support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and care leavers.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary said that the investment will enable some councils to step up their support by providing homes for asylum seeking children that are currently resident in other local authorities that are operating at full capacity.

Fore example, a groundbreaking new approach to welcoming asylum-seeking children in North Yorkshire will provide young people with a chance to integrate fully with their communities through an intensive 12 week programme involving introductions to the region and British culture, fast tracked English language lessons and peer mentoring.

The funding builds upon the £100 million Controlling Migration Fund that alleviate pressures on local services such as housing, education and health services resulting from recent migration.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said: “We have a proud history of hosting, supporting and protecting those in need, including some of the most vulnerable children. This new funding will enable more councils across England to provide support to those children who need a place to call home.

“The funds will also bring a range of benefits to the whole community by increasing the number of foster carers available and reducing pressures on existing services. We are grateful to councils who continue to provide care and support to vulnerable children, and it’s encouraging to hear of the enthusiasm among councils in welcoming more children to their areas, especially where they haven’t had an opportunity to do so previously.”