Let The Children In – Write to your councillor
Earlier this year the Dubs amendment to the Immigration Act passed in Parliament, stating that arrangements must be immediately made to relocate an unspecified number of vulnerable refugee children to the United Kingdom.
A few months later and the Government have signalled the end of the Dubs Scheme with only 1/10th of the supposed number of lone children rescued. The Government have cited a lack of Local Authorities signing up to the ‘National Transfer Scheme’ as the reason for the end of ‘Dubs’.
We need you to write to the lead member for child services at you Local Authority and ask for them to keep the Dubs Scheme open so that child refugees in danger of being, trafficked, enslaved and sexually abused can be relocated safely to the UK.
Please send an email to the relevant Councillor by copying sample letter below.
And use the table below to locate the relevant councillor for you to contact.
If the the member for child services representing your constituency is not on the list contact [email protected] with your local authority and the relevant member can be located.
Please make sure to include your full address in your letter or email
Dear [councillor],
I am troubled by the news that the Government plans to close the Dubs scheme for unaccompanied child refugees by the end of the financial year, and am writing to ask for your leadership.
Last year the British Government accepted Lord Dubs’ amendment to the Immigration Act, which established a safe route to sanctuary in the UK for unaccompanied children. The amendment didn’t call for Britain to help all unaccompanied children in Europe, but for us to do our bit. At the time, many councils supported the call and pledged to work with Government to establish the scheme.
Now, once again, I ask you to show leadership on this issue and join other councils across the country in pledging your support for keeping the scheme open.
Lord Dubs is himself only alive because of the efforts of our grandparents and the Kindertransport programme, which saved almost 10,000 Jewish children fleeing Nazi persecution. His campaign united both parliament and the country, calling us to live up to the high bar set by previous generations.
To date, around 200 children have been transferred to the UK under the Dubs amendment. Last week, the government announced that only 150 more will arrive from the freezing camps of Greece, before the programme will be closed along with the financial year.
At this critical time, I ask you to commit to keeping the scheme alive beyond this financial year, and to offer to work to identify further spaces for eligible children. I know the consultation process nine months ago was rushed, and that of course your capacity is dependent on the financial resources central government is prepared to make available for these children.
However more can and must be done. The support of councils is key to the government’s ability to make this happen. Now is not the time for Britain to pull up the drawbridge, but rather to be welcoming refugee children – as our grandparents did years ago. Please stand with us on the right side of history.
Please do respond to my message, and explain the Council’s policy and progress in providing for the care and the needs of both adult and vulnerable child asylum-seekers.
Thank you,
[your name][your address]