Year, kent county council has taken in 197 unaccompanied child migrants from albania. unfortunately, almost 20% of these children have gone missing, with the home office and police working to ensure their safety. in addition, 44,122 people have crossed on small boats so far this year, compared with 28,461 who arrived in 2021. this is accompanied by an increase in diphtheria cases among asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the uk.
Influx of migrants from albania has been noted by immigration minister robert jenrick, and it has put kent county council under pressure due to the high number of asylum-seeking children it has had to take on. in response, the council is attempting to proactively identify those who may be vulnerable to exploitation and carry out a debrief when missing children are found. unaccompanied children are being dispersed around the country, presenting a significant challenge in protecting them from potential harm.
Durán of ecpat uk believes the number of missing children is “really high” and simon jones, a bbc reporter, commented that for a local authority taking on the role of a child’s guardian, “just one young person going missing is one too many”. the council is also concerned that some of the unaccompanied albanian children in the county are at risk of exploitation or have been effectively trafficked. in addition, overcrowding at the manston processing centre in kent has been a concern, and the government plan to send some asylum seekers to rwanda is currently on hold as it faces a legal challenge in the court.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-63845680?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA
