Freedom from Torture joins call on unaccompanied child refugees

In January our Chief Executive Susan Munroe welcomed the UK government's plan to accept more unaccompanied refugee children. However, Lord Dubs, a Freedom from Torture supporter and refugee who came to Britain on the Kindertransport programme for Jewish children escaping the Nazis, has criticised the government for failing to act on its promises.

Freedom from Torture sees many unaccompanied children and young people who are survivors of torture. Lucy Gregg, Freedom from Torture’s Senior Policy Advisor, said:

"The UK government has not made good on its promise in April to bring unaccompanied children from Europe to the UK; not one single child has been offered sanctuary under this scheme. At Freedom from Torture, we see the challenges these children face every day, with referrals to our doctors and therapists of unaccompanied children who have been tortured having trebled since 2012.

Parliament is shortly to debate an amendment by Lord Dubs to the Children and Social Work Bill which calls for a National Action Plan for the Welfare of Unaccompanied Children. We urge the government to urgently ensure unaccompanied children, including those who have survived or witnessed torture, receive the appropriate specialist services they need to support their rehabilitation."