Pressure to take in more child refugees

Charity calls on more help for asylum seekers from Perth and Kinross

to mark 80 years since the wartime resettlement efforts, but also to help the estimated 30,000 child refugees around the world today who need help.

She continued: “Safe Passage is one of the charities we supported at our live music event ‘Four on the Fourth’ back in May which saw some amazing generosity from local bands, businesses and people who all came together to help raise money for some of the most vulnerable children in the world.

“There are an estimated 30,000 unaccompanied child refugees living in desperate conditions, refugee camps, tents and rough sleeping all over the world.

“The situation becomes far more dangerous as the winter months approach.

“After being through the trauma of war, losing their families and displaced from their homes, we can only imagine the effect this must have on these children through no fault of their own.

“They are vulnerable to exploitation, the elements and lack of access to medical treatment.

“The 80 years on campaign comes on the anniversary of World War II when British communities lobbied and put pressure on the government to accept 10,000 child refugees from Nazi occupied Germany. Despite facing war, hardship, fear and the loss of loved ones themselves, they opened their hearts to these children.

“Eighty years on child refugees sadly still need safe passage.”

Councillors were updated on the local authorities’ progress in resettling unaccompanied child refugees at a meeting of the full council back in June.

At the time, councillors were told there had been a “significant increase” in the number of young people travelling without their parents, trying to reach the UK to claim asylum.

They were also told the vast majority are male, between the ages of 16 and 18, and are from Eritrea in East Africa.

In the paper presented at the meeting in June, it said: “The extension