Bath and North East Somerset Council is looking for foster homes for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Councils across England have agreed with the Government to take a set number of children. Bath and North East Somerset Council will take 23 young people over the next two years.

Most of the children will come from Afghanistan, Albania, Iraq and Eritrea, with some from Syria. The children will need to be placed in caring foster homes.

Councillor Michael Evans (Conservative, Midsomer Norton North), Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “We are all aware of unaccompanied children fleeing from Syria and desperately in need of homes. We as a Council want to do what we can to help some of these young people who have been left traumatised after living in war zones, being trafficked across Europe at the mercy of people smugglers, sometimes physically or sexually assaulted, separated from their families and the death and serious injury of family and friends.

“We have already welcomed eight Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) to Bath and North East Somerset, and we are committed to providing caring homes for a further fifteen children over the next two years. But we need help from existing foster carers and those who are thinking about becoming foster carers.

“As a result of the distress and trauma experienced, these young people may display challenging behaviour, and so will need foster carers who have the skills needed to help them settle and feel secure to help them live comfortably in the UK and begin to access the skilled help they will need to start to deal with their traumas.”

Most of the asylum-seeking young people needing foster homes, are male and aged fourteen and over.

There has already been a noted push of people wanting to help, with organisations such as Bath Welcomes Refugees showing just how welcoming and caring those in B&NES are.

Anyone interested in caring for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children will need to be a fully assessed foster carer. There is no national or local scheme enabling you to be a short-term ‘host’ family; anyone interested in caring for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) needs to be approved as a general foster carer.

Anyone who would like to care for an UASC will need to become a foster carer and complete the extra necessary training designed to prepare for and help an UASC.

Councillor Evans said: “We hope that anyone who wishes to foster asylum-seeking children would also be open to fostering B&NES children in Bath and North East Somerset whilst they wait for and prepare for UASC.”

Pete Campbell, Service Manager, Care Outcomes, said: “I’m confident there are many households in this area who could help us meet the challenge to provide homes for young people who no longer have safe, stable and loving homes in their home countries.

“I would like to invite you to work with us in our Children’s Services Team and our colleagues in education, health and community groups to provide the very best care and opportunities for this group of young people.”

If you would like to find out more about fostering UASC, please call the Bath and North East Somerset Council Family Placement Team on: 01225 394949 to book your place and for more information about fostering and UASC fostering.