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THE THIRD REPORT FROM THE HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES AND
ASYLUM, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE VIETNAMESE, dated 16 April, 1985.
COMMENT FROM SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND CHILD CARE (UK) DEPARTMENT 20 MAY 1985
'Unaccompanied minors do not qualify to have families join them.'
SCF is concerned that the above statement was made without qualific- ation or comment. In our view, comment made elsewhere in the report regarding the critical importance of family reunion for the success- ful adjustment of the Vietnamese generally in Britain, is particularly true in the case of unaccompanied minors. As a result of the fact that applications for family reunion made on behalf of unaccompanied minors in this country have been.considered on a discretionary basis, individual children have been subjected to considerable delays in waiting for a decision, as well as the additional distress of learning that their applications have been rejected while those of others in the group have been accepted. The stress and anxiety which this uncertainty naturally engenders has proved detrimental to their adjust- ment to life in Britain.
We feel strongly that unaccompanied minors are particularly vulnerable, and that they should be given special consideration for family reunion as a group, and not simply on a case-by-case basis according to individual circumstances of a "compelling compassionate nature".
'Then there are the..."socially-handicapped" who are unable to comply with any country's entry rules, such as unaccompanied minors...
We are pleased that the Sub-Committee has recognised the particular problem facing unaccompanied minors in the Hong Kong camps with regard to access to resettlement, notably those who do not have links in any resettlement country. In view of the fact that SCF has developed considerable expertise in caring for unaccompanied minors who have come to Britain, we would be prepared to consider making our services available to any new unaccompanied minors who come to Britain subject to lessons from SCF's past and present experience being applied.
We are, however, deeply concerned about the problems which arise when unaccompanied minors are resettled after a prolonged stay in refugee camps, as noted elsewhere in the Report with regards to the general population of Vietnamese in Hong Kong's camps. It is now generally recognised internationally that speed of processing for resettlement is particularly vital in the case of unaccompanied minors. We would therefore suggest that an annual quota, of perhaps 30 youngsters, should be established to ensure that Britain is able to respond immed- iately to the needs as they arise, rather than subjecting minors to further delays while negotiations take place over their admission to this country.
...we recommend that more be done to prepare [the camps'] inhabitants for life after they are resettled, especially through training and upgrading of skills.
SCF is pleased to draw the Sub-Committee's attention to our recently- established social and educational programme in Hong Kong's Bowring Camp.
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