Aberlour has joined in partnership with the Scottish Refugee Council to set up a unique scheme to help children who arrive in Scotland alone and seeking asylum It was launched by Michael Russell, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning,
The Scottish Separated Children’s Guardianship Pilot is the first of its kind in the UK and other partners include the Big Lottery Fund, who supplied funding, the Scottish Government, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Diana Princes of Wales Memorial Fund.
The Pilot offers independent support to extremely vulnerable children who arrive in Scotland without parents or family, from highly-dangerous countries including Afghanistan and Iraq.
Up to five children arrive in Scotland every month in these circumstances. The new project means they have an independent ‘guide’ through the complex asylum and welfare systems, who will also help them to take a more active role in their own asylum claim.
Addie Stevenson, Aberlour's Chief Executive, who gave a presentation at the launch, said: “Aberlour is delighted to be the chosen partner of Scottish Refugee Council and to bring our skills and experience to this new service for vulnerable young people.
“We have already established excellent working relationships with Scottish Refugee Council and more importantly we have been able to engage with young people and to involve them in the design of the service.
“It is a really good example of partnership working between two organisations and the young people who need help to negotiate a myriad of complex systems with confidence.”
John Wilkes, Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council, said: “We have been calling for such a scheme for many years now and so are delighted to be able to launch this exciting pilot, which is the first of its kind in the UK.
“We have regularly encountered children who experience difficulties in accessing education and welfare benefits, have problems with legal representation, face racism and bullying or whose age is disputed. We firmly believe that a system of guardianship will help to address these issues.”
Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “We must not be complacent about the stress, anxiety and fear that many of these young people entering our country feel. They are then are faced with complex and rigorous immigration, social, legal and welfare systems - and for most with a limited understanding of English.
“Therefore I am pleased that here in Scotland we are pioneering a project to support these vulnerable young people through these processes. I hope it goes some way to helping them deal with some of the treatment they may have been subject to.
“We will continue to do all that we can to make sure the experience of all children, either with family members or unaccompanied, is as positive as it can be and that they are treated with humanity and dignity during the time they spend in Scotland.”