Council looks for home for asylum seeking children

Kent County Council is currently caring for 535 minors, according to the latest available figures

A council is looking for premises to turn into large registered home for unaccompanied asylum seeking (UAS) children.

Kent County Council (KCC) has a statutory duty to care for lone children who enter the UK via the English Channel and is currently caring for 535 minors.

The authority is reviewing its own estate for suitable buildings or land.

The facility would be home to children under the age of 16.

The search follows a ruling by a High Court judge that states KCC must take in all new asylum seekers arriving in the county.

'Finding the right one'

In papers to councillors, the authority’s general counsel, Ben Watts, reported that Sarah Hammond, KCC’s director of children’s services, had been working to comply with the court judgement.

“She has worked with the council’s infrastructure team who have undertaken an extensive search for land or premises in our area that may be used or repurposed for accommodating UAS children. Work is ongoing to explore the feasibility of those sites,” Mr Watts wrote.

“The director of children’s services is also exploring the creation of a large registered children’s home in Kent to provide temporary accommodation in-house to unaccompanied asylum seeking children aged under 16.”

Council officials are also in discussions with the Home Office over the possibility of hotel sites in Kent to accommodate UAS children being converted into reception centres operated by KCC.

Councillor Antony Hook said a children’s home was a “sensible idea”, stating he knew of two sites in Faversham, both former care homes, which could fit the bill.

“KCC has loads of buildings in Kent, so it’s just a matter of finding the right one,” he said.