Children’s Asylum Centre ‘too welcoming’ 😢

He has 3 young daughters and his profile says they are the most important thing in his life and providing them with a loving family environment... hey ho

Primrose53 Many of these children are not in their 20s. Some are. The majority are children, some as young as 12 or 14. Are theye to be treated badly because others are over age?

Does Robert Jenrick really believe that these children, some as young as 12 or 14, who have often endured long traumatic journeys across half the world on their own, will risk this journey because when they reach this country, something as trivial as a Disney mural on a wall will make them feel welcome.

What kind of mind thinks like that?

Luckygirl I agree with your sentiment, but I actually think what is happening here is performative cruelty.

Jenrick knows full well that it won’t deter asylum seekers; instead he thinks that it’s what many Tory voters want to hear.
(And depressingly, he’s correct, looking at some of the responses on here).

It’s deeply cynical.

The Tories will be fighting the GE on two things alone:

1. ‘Stopping the boats’ (the nation’s ‘number one priority’ according to Sunak 🙄)

2. Wokery and confected culture wars.

SueDoku

Whitewavemark2

So the situation is that asylum seekers choose totally legally to seek asylum in the U.K. They are innocent of any illegal act, and yet this government chooses to detain them in a detention centre with the intention of transportation to a country at war with its neighbour and who shoots and kills asylum seekers for protesting that they are hungry.

Whilst these innocents are waiting, they are held in the most unpleasant circumstances that this government thinks it can get away with. Presumably this includes painting out murals.

Pathetic, History will never forgive or forget.

I couldn't agree more. This report shows in a nutshell the mindset of the people running this country now..!
It's utterly abhorrent 😖

According to maritime law, anyone entering British waters, without leave to do so is breaking the law. Just saying.
Under existing British law, it's illegal to enter the country without a visa or special permission. That means someone who reaches the UK on a small boat could face up to four years in prison.27 Apr 2023

Luckygirl3

*I don’t lack compassion but it is just a mural on a wall that we are talking about*

No it isn't - it is about Jenrick wanting to make the centre unwelcoming.

Now he is either a mean heartless little s**t, or he seriously thinks that this will deter immigration. Either is unacceptable. The first is not the sort of person we want in government; the second is just stupidity.

I am certain that he doesn’t.

Doesn’t what?

Apologies, wrong thread.
No I do not believe in making a situation worse for these children. They had no choice in being put on a ricketty boat by their parents, or people smugglers paid by parents. Whatever the desperation in France, or any other EU country, surely children are better off with their parents.

Interesting, Freya.

It reminds me of something.

I and my colleagues from other western countries, had to have work visas to work in a south Asian country back in the nineties. Since the government never got round to making our visas long term, we had to cross a border into another country every month to renew our short term visas.

I was only about an hour's drive from a border but for some people it meant a longish flight, somewhere to stay for a day or two and another flight back to where they worked.

So, when people say asylum-seekers in Britain "aren't allowed to work", I just remember the visa requirements even for invited people in the south Asian country I worked in.

And I shrug and don't find the no work until approved policy, or whatever it's called, at all strange.

Baggs, i think you are missing the point.
the reminder that asylum seekers are not allowed to work is made in reply to people complaining that such people receive subsistence allowance and/or basic accommodation.
some ignorant people even say, why don't they support themselves.
so it is pointed out that legally they cannot.
i knew one who declined the govt subsistence and got by on charity, staying with other people and giving domestic help.
like a kind of unpaid au pair, sofa surfing.
most asylum seekers would prefer to work.
she now has refugee status, after several years of legal process and great stress, and has been working since she got her permit.

Were you seeking refuge from war or economic decline or political differences in your own land ?if so then how good to be able to work and have a bit of respect and something to occupy the mind from the obvious terror you suffered.

vegansrock

Some years ago I did voluntary work with the probation service. We helped in the visitors centre where families went to meet their imprisoned relative. We were encouraged to make the place bright and cheerful with artwork , toys for the kids and games for the family, and refreshments for all ( including the prisoners). There was also artwork around in the prison to lighten up the surroundings. Part of the reasoning behind this is to enable the prisoners to maintain their family ties. Presumably those who feel a prison is a merely place of detention think it should just look as grim as possible.

The psychology behind this is powerful. It puts people's emotions and needs central to recovery. I find it sad people cannot see that. Prison should be seen as a place of rehabilitation too not just punishment.

I think it’s nasty and I wonder what the purpose is of doing that? This centre is a children’s centre so it’s nice to have a few happy things painted on the walls.
Yes, people want a proper immigration system but how is painting over wall murals in a children’s centre going to achieve that?

a prison officer rang a radio discussion on this topic and made that very point.
prison visitor centres have murals, toys, activities etc despite not being a nursery.
because most people care about children and try to protect and nurture them.
whoever they are, and wherever.

Primrose53: "I don't support allowing more and more people into our country every day especially when they have not put a penny into this country to start with."
Do you mean we should only allow wealthy people in? How can migrants contribute before they have been given a chance to do so?

Primrose53 many refugees are well educated with skills, they have often had a good standard of living in their own country, want to work and create a new life for themselves. Most wish their own country was a place they could stay. Another way of looking at it is to consider that once refugees have leave to work they are actually adding something valuable to this country and unlike "homegrown" workers we have not had to nurture or educate them. I think it's sad that there is such a misunderstanding, spread by racists in the main, I'm afraid, that refugees are coming here to "milk" our society. It really isn't true.

When I first heard about this, my first thought was the Disney Corporation told them to remove it?
They don't give you anything free.

This

A picture says a thousand words.

This is government property ffs. Not up to employees to decide to allow someone to paint murals on it. There’s such a thing as asking for permission.

it is hardly like planning permission though

Germanshepherdsmum

This is government property ffs. Not up to employees to decide to allow someone to paint murals on it. There’s such a thing as asking for permission.

I wish somebody had told us this when we decorated walls and painted stuff in schools, because it brightened up the place. I suppose we could have asked the LEA but frankly I don't think they would have been bothered, any improvement was welcome.

GSM prison visiting rooms are government property also- and schools - and hospitals and...( you get my drift) many of which have murals and/ or are decorated by staff or volunteers.

Germanshepherdsmum

This is government property ffs. Not up to employees to decide to allow someone to paint murals on it. There’s such a thing as asking for permission.

Oh my goodness!
People taking the initiative to improve the workplace for all involved’
Shame on them

To be honest, I have no idea why I am commenting.
I must stop. It’s ludicrous