Asylum-seeking children display their hopes at Stormont

The pictures give an insight into what is really important to young people who have fled other countries

Young refugees have put their loves and hopes on display at Stormont as part of a collaboration with an internationally renowned author and illustrator.

Dozens of children drew pictures for the exhibition which is on show in the Long Gallery in Parliament Buildings.

Author and artist Oliver Jeffers sketched a portrait around each drawing to show the children holding them up.

The exhibition, called Seen, intends to highlight the struggles facing some asylum-seeking children.

"It's about being seen and them feeling like they're accepted, visible, relevant and matter," Mr Jeffers, who provided all of the art materials, said.

"The irony is that it's going into this political headquarters of Northern Ireland where it's not really going to be seen, because our government refuses to sit.

"There's a beautiful, terrible irony in that."

Families gathered in a Belfast church hall to put together the display.

The pictures give an insight into what is really important to young people who have fled other countries.

The hope for a house, not a hotel

There were plenty of footballs and computers featured in the children's artwork, but houses were among the most common images drawn.

It was no surprise to the organisers, as many involved have been living in temporary accommodation for months.

"The bad thing is living in the hotel," said one mother, who is originally from Eritrea on Africa's north-eastern coast.

"I have four kids and they live in one hotel room."

Her daughter's picture includes a house and around the drawing she wrote: "I love you mum. I wish we had a house."

Among families there was obvious frustration at how long it can take to access services, including education.

Families gathered in a Belfast church hall to put the display together

Some of the children have been unable to get a school place, and the problems are particularly difficult for those who speak little English or have learning difficulties.

"We have a family who have five kids," said Areeg Farah who is an education coordinator with Anaka, a group which works with refugees.

"One of them, Hassan, who is 13 years old and is an autistic child.

"His mum is so concerned about his mental health and his well-being.

"He locks himself in a dark room and he doesn't talk or do anything.

"The problem is for the children with learning disabilities, lots of children have to wait for school places."

Children part of their favourite story

Despite the many challenges, there was hope and enthusiasm inside the hall.

Many of the families have left troubled countries looking for a better life for their children.

• 200 asylum-seeking children living in NI hotels

• Women seeking asylum in NI 'frightened' in hotels

As the young artists raced around the hall picking up crayons and colouring pens to complete their drawings, one of their mothers told BBC News NI how thankful she was.

"My son said this paper is not enough to express how much I love," said Afra, who came to Northern Ireland from Sudan.

"What you are doing in this workshop, we deeply appreciate it.

"Oliver is a very famous writer, now [the children] feel they are a part of their favourite story."

Oliver Jeffers believes a welcome goes beyond money and services for asylum seekers

Mr Jeffers came up with the idea for the project after meeting Alliance assembly member, Kate Nicholl.

She has been working with refugee families and is hopeful the exhibition will be put on show around Northern Ireland.

"People get the idea that it is hotel luxury living - it's not," she said.

"You are living with your entire family sometimes for a year in a small room... and some of the children have special educational needs or are deeply traumatised."

A welcome goes beyond money

The Home Office told BBC News NI it had offered a route to the UK for over half a million men, women and children seeking safety, as well as family members of refugees.

And officials said support mechanisms were in place, including an integration loan to help pay for things like rent, education and training.

But Oliver Jeffers believed a welcome goes beyond money and services.

Inside the church hall, one of the boys said he felt special knowing his portrait would be drawn by the award-winning illustrator.

Each of the pictures will eventually be returned to the children, but while they are on show, the artist hopes the drawings will make people think about what matters to those who have had to leave their homes behind.

"You never know one day it might be us that have to leave our homes," he argued.

"And we would hope that we would be treated with a degree of humanity."