A step in the right direction

摘要

Kent CC stopped taking lone child migrants into its care last week. The move came after the council served a letter before action to the Home Office, in advance of a judicial review, in a bid to force other local authorities to 'take their fair share'. The council looks after more than 400 such children, nearly double the number the Government recommends, and says it is unable to safely care for any more. A Home Office response has been received and is under consideration by the council. But Kent CC has not provided details, saying further action will be announced 'in due course'. Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) landing in Kent are now the responsibility of the Home Office, who will have to find them places with other local authorities, according to the council. In a statement, the Home Office has said responsibility for UASC 'will be more evenly distributed across the UK as part of new and vital updates to the National Transfer Scheme (NTS)'.