Ukraine: Carer plans trip to Kyiv to help autistic boy

Julie and Roger Elliot, who were made MBEs in 2016, say they want Timothy to "be safe" in the UK

A woman who wants to bring a 16-year-old Ukrainian to the UK has said she is considering travelling to Kyiv after finding out he could not get a visa.

Julie Elliot from Lancashire said Timothy, who is severely autistic, was becoming "more and more distressed" as "bombs dropped".

But as he is under 18 and unaccompanied, he cannot use the visa scheme, the government said.

Ms Elliot and her husband previously adopted 10 children with disabilities.

Timothy is non-verbal, and his mother Anna has struggled to guide him into the local subway shelter for safety when the city has been shelled by the Russian army.

'Distressed'

Russian forces withdrew from the area surrounding Kyiv in early April, but when bombs strike the city Timothy's protestations against entering the bunker have put himself and those around him in danger, Ms Elliot said.

His mother wishes to remain in Kyiv after her eldest son was told to stay and fight, while Timothy's 17-year-old brother has escaped to Poland alone.

Ms Elliot said Timothy was "becoming more and more distressed" and he "can't talk and he can't process what's going on".

"Everything can be very scary [for children with autism], even without a war" and his mum is trying to cope "whilst there are bombs dropping around them", she added.

Timothy, who lives in Kyiv with his mother, is autistic and non-verbal

The Elliots, who live in the Ribble Valley with their 14 children - four biological and 10 adopted - worked as nurses before becoming full-time carers and were made MBEs in 2016 for services to children.

With documents proving permission from Timothy's mother, Ms Elliot applied for a visa for Timothy through the Homes For Ukraine scheme on 30 March but received no response confirming or denying the visa.

She has since been separately told he is ineligible because he is under 18.

'Safeguarding requirements'

A government spokesman said: "Due to safeguarding requirements, unaccompanied minors are only eligible under the Homes For Ukraine scheme if they are reuniting with a parent or guardian in the UK."

The Press Association news agency understands that the government is continually reviewing its immigration policy and schemes and applications by people who are currently ineligible remain on hold in case changes are made to eligibility requirements.

The Homes For Ukraine scheme website explains this under-18s policy, but older versions of the web page show that this detail was not added until 12 April, almost two weeks after Ms Elliot applied to help Timothy.

She said: "We just don't know what to do next, it just feels like you're shouting into the void.

"We're quite prepared to finance everything - all we are asking is for him to be safe in the UK with us.

"I am seriously thinking that I'm going to have to go [to Ukraine] and help [Timothy's mother]... I promised her over a month ago that I would help her - how can I just leave her like this?"