Safeguarding cases highlighted under Homes for Ukraine scheme
Council chiefs have revealed the challenges and successes of a scheme helping Ukrainian refugees to settle in Sunderland.
The Homes for Ukraine scheme, announced by Government earlier this year, allows individuals, families, community groups and businesses to host people fleeing the war-torn country.
Sponsors and hosts involved in the UK scheme are given a £350 “thank you payment” per month for up to 12 months, subject to providing “appropriateandcompliantaccommodation”.
Sunderland City Council, which is administering the schemelocallyinlinewithgovernment guidance, has a number of responsibilities.
This includes monitoring visa application data, carrying out safeguarding checks and interventions, pre and post arrival checks, accommodation and welfare checks and helping with the “re-matching” process.
According to data revealed at the city council’s Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee, there have been 91 arrivals in the city so far.
This includes 52 single adult females, three single adult males and 36 children, with 24 families (adults with children) arriving in total.
The data noted that of the Ukrainian refugees settled in Sunderland so far, there have been seven “safeguarding interventions” and seven “host
breakdowns”.
During the presentation at City Hall, councillors heard some of the “extremes” of casescouncilofficershadencountered on Wearside.
This included a disabled Sunderland host paying for flights in an alleged exchange
for free care, a vulnerable teenager being evicted and officers and police identifying, intercepting and preventing a match involving a female teenager that raised serious safeguarding concerns.
Council officers stressed the local authority is able to provide temporary accommodation with specific support for those in need.
Workisalsoongoingtohelp re-match Ukrainian refugees with other host families if placementsbreakdowndueto culturalorlifestyledifferences.
Graham Scanlon, assistant director of housing and communities on the council, updated councillors on the Homes for Ukraine scheme as partofawiderpresentationon refugeeandasylumseekerprogrammes.
Councillors heard that Sunderland was housing refugees from Afghanistan under two main resettlement programmes, as well as continuingtowelcomeasylumseekers.
As part of the “asylum seeker dispersal programme”, 480 asylum seekers are recorded in Sunderland, with 323 males and 157 females, representing 261 single people and 64 families.
Councillor Sean Laws suggested there was a “two-tier system” in terms of accommodation solutions which favoured Ukrainian refugees over those from Afghanistan.
Cllr Usman Ali questioned whether Homes for Ukraine data provided a true picture of placementsacrossthecityand referenced local reports of refugees being asked to do housework and gardening.
Concerns were also raised about the ability of families to continue hosting Ukrainian refugees as the cost-of-living crisisworsensandpressureincreasesonhouseholdbudgets.
Mr Scanlon stressed that the council was following Government guidance around the schemes.