Vulnerable asylum-seeking children urgently need foster carers to keep them safe – how to apply in Yorkshire

It has recently been discovered that in order to manage the flow of migration into the UK, thousands of unaccompanied children seeking asylum have been placed unsupported in hotels across the South East of England, rather than into foster care through local authorities.

The reasons behind this are being explored but more shockingly, hundreds of these children are now unaccounted for and extremely vulnerable to exploitation.

However, a high court ruling in August determined that wherever possible, unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK should be placed in foster care. So, with this in mind, there’s an urgent need for more foster carers across the country who are prepared to give support to an asylum-seeking child in need of a home.

Can you help?

These children need stable, safe foster care which is sensitive to their experiences and cultural upbringing.

Children who have arrived in the country without the accompaniment of adults, are often escaping countries which are affected by war, unrest, terrorism or conflict. English may not be their first language, they may be undocumented, without formal details of their own origins, and sadly they may already have been subject to human trafficking or other criminal activity.

As Team Fostering’s Chief Executive Officer Kathryn Hayes explains: “The lack of available fostering families has meant that high numbers of children arriving into the country, seeking a place of refuge and safety, have had to be placed in hotels and similar accommodation. Not only is this entirely unsuitable to meet the needs of vulnerable and traumatised children but it significantly increases their vulnerability to abuse and exploitation.

“We know that since July 2021, over 4,500 children have been placed in these arrangements of which 440 have gone missing and as of July 2023, 154 still remain unaccounted for . This is a horrific and unacceptable outcome for any child.

“All children deserve a home that is safe, loving and secure. I would urgently encourage any person who has the room and motivation to offer this to a child to please get in touch with us as soon as you can.”

Give a child a safe, supportive household to live in

While it’s helpful for young people to live with families who have a shared heritage or community, at times of crisis it is not as important as making sure that these children have a safe, supportive household to live in.

Young people who are helped by Team Fostering come from a wide range of backgrounds and the organisation aims to reflect this with a wide and diverse selection of foster carers.

What foster carers say

Foster carer Mohammed explains: “Two boys came to us for an introduction and to stay for a short time and six years later, they’re adults, and still here and don’t want to leave!

“My wife and I felt they looked so sad and vulnerable, we just had to help. We’ve worked hard with the boys, supported them to get their first jobs and encouraged them to lead independent lives. I would say that if you are able to help these children, why not help? You just need to be open to learning about their way of life and the cultural differences between your life and theirs.”

Get in touch

If you can provide a respectful, culturally supportive home to vulnerable children and help them to begin a new life safe from harm in the UK, then Team Fostering want to hear from you. The migrant crisis isn’t going away any time soon and by starting your fostering journey now, you can help to make a real difference to the lives of children and young people who desperately need it.

Contact Team Fostering now on 0800 292 2003 or via www.teamfostering.co.uk