World Refugee Day, international observance observed June 20 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.
Labour Peer Lord Alf Dubbs, who was himself a child refugee, proposed The Dubs amendment, passed in May 2016, which required the government to act “as soon as possible” to relocate and support unaccompanied refugee children in Europe. MPs and campaigners hoped the Dubs scheme would resettle around 3,000 children but ministers controversially set a limit of 480, despite councils saying they could find space for far more. However, in November of last year, figures revealed in a parliamentary answer show less than half that number – 220 – have been transferred to the UK.
www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/03/uk-admits-only-20-unaccompanied-child-refugees-in-two-years
These are very vulnerable children and need to be sponsored by local authorities who arrange fostering and other support services, but local authorities are willing to take more children. For instance in March, as a result of a local campaign, Wiltshire Council unanimously committed to welcome up to 100 refugee children over the next 10 years, as part of the national Safe Passage Our Turn campaign to call on central government to fund foster places.
www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/17468750.pledge-to-welcome-100-child-refugees-in-wiltshire/
