Anne-Marie Trevelyan, MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed pressed Ministers in the House of Commons to support and encourage foster carers so that councils like Northumberland County Council can continue to provide support for Syrian refugees. Northumberland County Council is currently providing homes and family support for Syrian Refugees and the Minister for Immigration, Caroline Nokes said she was “very grateful” for the work that Northumberland County Council was doing in participating in both the resettlement and national transfer scheme.
The Government is at the forefront of the humanitarian response to this crisis, committing £2.46 billion since 2012 - our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. Since 2012, across Syria and the region, UK aid has delivered over 26 million food rations that feed a person for a month, 10.3 million medical consultations, 9.8 million relief packages, and over 8 million vaccines. In 2016/17 alone, UK aid reached over 5 million people with clean water.
Anne-Marie praised the work of the Council by saying “I have been working with the Council on this issue since I was elected and I am pleased that our patch is playing its part in supporting families and children who have had to leave Syria. It is important that we continue to support Councils and encourage people to become foster carers so that we provide unaccompanied children with safe families and homes, which will offer the loving and caring environment that they deserve and need”.
Caroline Nokes answered the question by informing the House of Commons that “Northumberland County Council recently received funding through the controlling migration fund to boost its capacity to look after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. The Government are reviewing funding arrangements for local authorities that look after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. In last year’s safeguarding strategy, the Government committed to further boosting fostering capacity, including by commissioning 1,000 training places for foster carers and support workers who are caring for unaccompanied children.”
Following the Minister’s response Anne-Marie said “I am delighted that the Minister confirmed that the Government is committed to boosting fostering capacity and that they will be reviewing funding arrangements for local authorities that look after unaccompanied children. This is a really important step forward and I look forward to continuing discussions with the Minister on supporting those families and children that need our help”.