Powys to take in child asylum seekers

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Residential homes that will allow child refugees to be cared for in Powys rather than big English cities are being set up by the council.

Powys County Council’s preferred option for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) is now to look after them in-county, a change in policy that was revealed at a meeting of the council’s Health and Care committee which scrutinises Social Services.

At the meeting councillors were given an update on how the council is caring for the UASC’s that have come under its wing.

The youngsters are being looked after by the council as part of the UK Government’s National Transfer Scheme (NTS) which expects all local authorities to share the responsibility and accept transfers of children into their care.

The details of the report were kept secret while a general discussion was allowed to take place.

Senior strategic children’s service programme manager, Joanna Harris said: “Powys has received 33 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children referrals over the last 18 months.”

She explained placements had been found for 17 of these within a five-day period which unlocked extra one-off short-term funding of £15,000 per child.

Ms Harris continued: “However that funding has ceased and returned back to the £5,000 that it originally was. As of October 3, Powys was responsible for 17 under 18-year-olds and 13 over 18’s. These are placed both within and outside Wales.

“We’ve also received three further referrals in November. Our current strategy is to place directly in Powys as opposed to our original strategy.

“When we first joined the scheme where we were placing in more urban city locations as we felt they could be better supported there.”

She pointed out that bringing the youngsters into Powys reduced the time and travel costs as a social worker would need to conduct statutory visits to those living in city locations.

It also “aligns” with the Welsh Goverment’s eliminate profit from care agenda.

Ms Harris said: “Children’s Services has been working really hard to develop a suite of properties to provide placements in Powys. We’ve also been working with our external providers so that they can develop placements within county.”

She added that Powys also lead the local authorities of the Mid and West Wales region on this work.

Issues in the past with UASC have been around the inadequate funding councils receive from the UK Government to care for the children.

Committee chairwoman, Conservative Cllr Amanda Jenner, asked: “Are the Home Office aware there is a (funding) shortfall?”

Head of children’s social services, Sharon Powell, said: “There is no flexibility in those arrangements, if the cost of that child increases there is no additional funding.

“This has been challenged by us as council and also as a region, Pembrokeshire took a lead with their chief executive writing to the UK Government on this factor.”

She added that it had also been raised with the Welsh Government.

Ms Powell added: “There is no answer right now, but it becomes an immediate (financial) pressure for us when we have a young person with additional needs which is over and above what we get from UK Government.”

Cllr Jenner asked to be informed when a response to the letter is received from the UK Government.

The committee then voted to move the discussion into confidential session.