Home Office forces councils to care for unaccompanied migrant children as services in Kent struggle to cope after record 4,000 make dangerous crossing this month

• Unaccompanied migrant children moved around the UK to relieve pressure
• More than 200 councils forced to take on migrant children unless good reason
• Comes as Priti Patel confirmed talks over possible British-French sea patrols

Councils will be forced to take migrant children into their care systems as Kent gets overwhelmed following a record 4,000 making the dangerous crossing this month.

Unaccompanied migrant children were previously moved around the UK based on a voluntary scheme to lessen the impact of migrants crossing the English Channel on Kent County Council.

But more than 200 councils could now be forced to take on migrant children unless they have a good reason why not.

It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed talks over possible joint British-French sea patrols in the Channel that would aim to stop and return migrants were ongoing.  

Roger Gough, Tory leader of Kent county council which took 247 children this year, told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme ‘it’s the right thing to do’. 

But Nick Forbes, Labour leader of Newcastle county council, called the plan a ‘blunt tool’ that would not suit every council.  

Unaccompanied migrant children were previously moved around the UK based on a voluntary scheme to lessen the impact of migrants crossing the English Channel on Kent County Council. Pictured, a young boy is helped by a Border Office worker

It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) has confirmed talks over possible joint British-French sea patrols in the Channel that would aim to stop and return migrants were ongoing

Mr Gough added: ‘247 young people came into our care and we transferred 150 into other councils. 

‘We’ve had two occasions last year and earlier this year when we have indicated we cannot take young people because we were not able to offer safe and effective care at that time.’

Mr Forbes, Labour leader of Newcastle county council, revealed the local authority has taken around 27 migrant children recently.

He added: ‘We originally agreed we would take six. We then took a further ten. We’ve taken 16 from Kent. In addition we’ve had seven who arrived as adults but when assessed turned out to be children.  

Nick Forbes, Labour leader of Newcastle county council, revealed the local authority has taken around 27 migrant children recently. Pictured, the Home Office

‘We’ve taken 27 in the last year. We’re proud and happy to do that. It’s our part of a national responsibility. That burden shouldn’t fall to some councils.’

Mr Forbes said the issue with forcing children to take migrant children is that it is a ‘blunt tool’.

He added: ‘Some councils have existing high levels of looked after children in their own communities. Some councils have real challenges finding social workers. 

‘I think what’s actually happened is the reverse. We’ve seen councils who’ve got a few children in the system making offers to take more. It’s a matter of political will.’

France has rejected a British offer to patrol their beaches for them to stop migrants trying to cross the Channel over concerns it would breach their sovereignty

Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) has confirmed talks over possible joint British-French sea patrols in the Channel were ongoing 

He claimed there are 15 councils which have not taken on any migrant children. ‘I fully acknowledge the situation in Kent but it’s not fair to hit councils with a very large part. There are good reasons, availability of foster care beds for example. We want to ensure a long term plan.’ 

The number of migrants crossing the Channel hit a record 4,019 this month, exceeding the previous high of 3,879 in September – with this year’s total now a record-breaking 23,761. 

Asked about possible joint patrols in the House of Commons, Ms Patel said: ‘We discuss all options whether naval patrols of alternative patrols.

‘It’s not appropriate for me to comment on responsibilities around other government departments on this but there is work taking place with our counterparts and with other departments in Government.’   

Ms Patel added the UK had offered France Border Force and Police officers to help bolster ‘overwhelmed’ gendarmes on the European coastline but was told such a scheme would breach French sovereignty. 

The new arrivals bring the total number to have made it to the UK this month to 4,019, exceeding the previous record of 3,879 in September. This year’s total is now a record-breaking 23,761

It comes after migrants were yesterday bussed 500 miles to Scotland for processing after arriving on beaches in Kent as the system struggles under a record number of crossings.

Dozens have taken the eight-hour journey to Dungavel immigration detention centre in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire in the last few weeks, according to a pressure group.

Until now, migrants have been processed in Home Office short-term holding facilities an hour or two from Dover, but the record arrivals have forced officials to use facilities further away.

Meanwhile senior Tories yesterday warned that a failure to tackle the record number of migrants crossing the English Channel could fuel the rise of a new UKIP-style political party.

There are growing fears among some Conservative figures that inaction on the issue could trigger the emergence of a new right-wing political force which could cost the Tories their majority at the next general election.  

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds has accused Ms Patel of ’empty rhetoric’ over her failure to tackle the problem

Migrants huddle together on the beach at Dungeness on Saturday after three crammed boats arrived on the shoreline

The Home Secretary hit back at his attack, insisting the Torys have a long-term plan to address immigration. 

‘This problem will take some time to fix and there is no silver bullet. The only solution is wholescale reform of our asylum system,’ Ms Patel told MPs.  

Mr Johnson has ordered a Whitehall review into the Channel crossings and is said to be ‘exasperated’ by his Government’s failure to reduce the number of migrants making the journey in small boats.

Former Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has been put in charge of the review.

It will seek to find solutions to the crisis and make sure all departments – not only the Home Office – are contributing.

The review follows a week of record migrant Channel crossings, with 1,000 reaching the British shores on Tuesday alone and around 24,000 making the journey this year. The figure is almost triple the number that arrived in 2020. 

The PM was grilled on the subject when he appeared in front of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs last week.

Former Cabinet minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith is said to have challenged Mr Johnson at the meeting, telling the PM: ‘Migration was in our manifesto, it was in our DNA. If we don’t do it, they won’t forgive us.’

His remarks were reportedly greeted with a banging of desks in a show of support from his backbench colleagues. 

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