Charities say they are ready and waiting to help Ukrainian children

The charitable sector is ready, ready and waiting to welcome and support Ukrainian children, however, the slow pace of UK government visas being issued means thousands of children must wait weeks and months to enter the UK and receive support, according to a new study. .

A new study published by the Childhood Trust confirms the willingness of the charitable sector to accept and support Ukrainian children and highlights the important role of these charities in meeting the needs of refugee children and youth. London expects to receive half of the total number of refugees arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

The study looked at 21 children’s charities that currently support a total of 34,765 children, of whom 2,127 are refugees. Among the organizations that provide assistance to displaced children, an average of 18% of the beneficiaries are refugees. These charities care for children from 28 different countries, reflecting the current global social and political climate, with just over half of the supported children coming from Afghanistan, as well as a high percentage of children from Eritrea, Syria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Iran and Iraq. Find the altar

The survey also found that 53% of the charities surveyed have worked with refugee beneficiaries for more than a year and 26% for more than 3 years (less than 6% supported 3 months or less). Demonstrating continued and long-term support for refugee children invites governments to question their short-term approach to the issue, for example by providing Ukrainian refugee families with a housing guarantee of only 6 months.

Lawrence Guinness, CEO of the Children’s Fund, said: “It is a shame that the government is so quickly accepting refugee children and their families. Our charitable projects are ready and waiting to support vulnerable and traumatized Ukrainian children, but are deeply disappointed by the government’s foolish response, which appears to be actively depriving Ukrainian children of shelter they desperately need. London has always provided a safe and welcoming place for children fleeing war, and we are deeply concerned that this government does not appear to be able to act according to its rhetoric.”

The reality of refugee children arriving in the UK is that their needs are often complex and difficult to overcome, but the only support they can reliably get is support from charities. Research has shown that the biggest challenges facing refugee children (in terms of severity) are poverty, followed by housing, mental health, language barriers, and education.

Once granted refugee status, asylum seekers only have 28 days to find a new home or job or apply for a comprehensive loan.

Yabsira, a 17-year-old Ethiopian refugee said, “The government should help the refugees adequately. They tell the media what they are doing, but that is not all. They are making it difficult for us. I want to help Ukrainians freely and I want people to know that we are We don’t hate refugees in our country. Because of war and political instability we have had to leave our homes. We want our human rights. We want to be happy and safe. The British government must listen, wake up and act accordingly.”

The Children’s Fund report highlights the extensive training and planning that charities are currently doing to support Ukrainian children, with 80% of the charities surveyed expecting to help and 60% already having plans.

Children’s charities are already strained by the growing child poverty crisis, with all charities surveyed saying they will need additional funding to meet the needs of Ukrainian refugees. Charities estimate that corporate philanthropy provides more funding than the UK government – 8.5% of the needed funding is expected to come from the company and 7.5% from the UK government.