The urgent need for children to have access to safe and legal routes to protection has become more pressing following the fire which devastated between 1000 to 1500 homes at the Grand-Synthe migrant camp, near Dunkirk, in April earlier this year.
Whilst the Dubs Amendment Scheme sought to relocate around 3, 000 vulnerable child refugees, the recent announcement by the Immigration Minister, Robert Goodwill, means that the number of unaccompanied children in Europe that will be brought to Britain under the scheme will be increased from 350 to 480.
So far, the GMIAU have been successful in assisting 4 children obtain refugee status in the UK. As part of the ongoing campaign, the GMIAU continues to support 40 children from Calais in the North West. In doing so, the GMIAU highlight the need to establish safe and accessible legal routes for unaccompanied children to claim asylum and to protect them from trafficking and exploitation. In addition, the GMIAU are also providing training to Local Authorities to ensure that children claiming asylum get the support they need to live in safety in the North West.
To make a difference and get involved :-
- Write to your MP. Tell your MP that you want them to stand up for the children who have no voice. They may not have a voice but you have. Ask your MP to show support by pressing the government to let more Dubs children in.
- Write to your local councillors. Ask them if they support the call to keep the Dubs scheme open, how many spaces are available for children in their area, and whether the Home Office has ever consulted them on the places available. To find out how to contact your local MP and councillors go to www.gmiau.org homepage and in the bottom right hand corner type your postcode into ‘contact your politician’ [should this be a tab on our website also ?] . Please send any responses to GMIAU –the GMIAU are supporting other organisations to challenge the government’s assertion that there are not enough places for more Dubs children.
- Sign Alf Dubs’ petition. Lord Dubs – who arrived in the UK as part of the kindertransport – has set up a petition to challenge the government to let more children in. Sign the petition.
- Contact Denise McDowell by emailing denise[at]gmiau[dot]org or telephoning 0161 769 8822.
