Social Services Warning Over Migrant Children

The influx of hundreds of migrant children to the UK is putting "enormous strain" on social services in Kent, the county council's leader says.

The number of young migrants in the authority's care has almost doubled to 605 in the last three months, leaving it with a multimillion-pound funding gap.

According to one agency, fostering referrals have also increased almost five-fold as more and more young people arrive from France .

Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, has met officials from the Home Office to highlight the impact of unaccompanied minors.

Mr Carter said the "massive logistical exercise" of supporting those aged under 18 is putting an "enormous strain" on children's social services.

"We've got two issues," he said. "One is having to contend with Operation Stack and the main arterial route, the M20, being closed in both directions.

"But also, local government has statutory duties to provide care for unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 and those numbers have escalated dramatically in the last four to five weeks.

"That is connected with more migrants getting on to trains and in some cases boats and presenting at Folkestone or Dover seeking asylum.

"If they are under 18 we have to care and provide for them.

"About a year ago it was running at about 238 unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 that we were supporting.

"That is now well over 600 and rising day by day, week by week."

He said the council faces a shortfall of £5.5 million in care costs.

Meanwhile fostering agencies say the number of traumatised children arriving in the UK, speaking little English, is presenting big challenges.

Bernie Gibson, of Compass Fostering, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "We are often approached by local authorities like Kent to see if we have a safe home, a safe place, so these young people can reflect about their experiences and just receive the basic care children should receive.

"The challenge to find foster carers nationally for Compass is challenging anyway but imagine on top of that these children are very traumatised, they don't speak English.

"Often they come from different cultural experiences. But these people do step forward and they can step forward."

She added that this time last year the agency was receiving around 34 referrals in one month, but now it is 140.