500 signatures reached
To: President of COSLA and Scotland’s Council Leaders
Support for Scotland’s Council Leaders: Unaccompanied Minors Welcome
We, the people in Scotland, welcome the proactive role that local councils have already taken in making it possible for a few unaccompanied minors to be transferred to Scotland from France.
We ask that you fully recognise the generosity, compassion and hospitality of communities in Scotland; we hope you will be emboldened in your approach to the transfer of unaccompanied minors; and we ask you to commit to bringing a generous number here as a matter of great urgency.
Why is this important?
Local Councils decide how many unaccompanied minors they will take in their area; that means that at a local level we can make a real difference for refugees and asylum seekers.
THIS FRIDAY, 25th November 2016, the leaders of all the Local Authorities in Scotland will meet at COSLA, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, in Edinburgh. The transfer protocol for Unaccompanied Minors will be discussed. COSLA is “your local voice, nationally”.
We want our local councils and COSLA to take courage from the fact that we support them welcoming refugees and asylum seekers to the area where we live. They need to hear from us this week.
We hope you will encourage individuals to write directly to their local councillors as part of the campaign to Protect Refugee Children here: https://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/campaigning/protect-refugee-children
The charity “Help Refugees” highlight concerns for the approx. 1000 vulnerable children and young people in accommodation centres across France who still have no information about what process lies in front of them. This uncertainty can cause children to take matters into their own hands, abscond and put themselves in danger.
The campaign group Liberty remind us that child refugees endure violence and separation from family members; lose access to education, healthcare, the support of their communities and often face bleak and uncertain futures.
Children seeking sanctuary across Europe face routine exploitation and abuse. Many have already disappeared into the hands of traffickers.
Local and central government must work together to ensure the Dubs scheme fulfils its potential as a lifeline for some of Europe’s most vulnerable children.
We recognise that there are young people in the UK who are homeless or about to become homeless. We do not believe it is a choice between these vulnerable groups, but rather that we protect them both.
Could you become a foster carer? You can register your interest here:
http://www.homeforgood.org.uk/what-we-do/responding-refugee-crisis
You can also use this link to write to your local councilors, MPs and MSPs:
https://www.writetothem.com
How it will be delivered
The signatures will be delivered in person to COSLA on Friday before the Leaders Meeting at 12:00
