Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the strategy for safeguarding unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children announced on 1 November 2016 will include (1) the provision of independent guardians for all unaccompanied children in the UK, and (2) a commitment to continue to fund local authorities which support unaccompanied children at the same, or higher, rate as they currently receive.

The safeguarding strategy for unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children will be published by 1 May 2017. It will set out further detail on how these children should be safeguarded and have their welfare promoted. In developing the strategy, the Government has committed to review the information currently provided to asylum seeking and refugee children about their rights, their current circumstances, and the role of local authorities in caring for them. We have also said that we will regularly review the funding provided to support and care for unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children, working closely with the Local Government Association and local authorities.