Syrian Vulnerable Person s refugee scheme for Norfolk

Transcription

1 Syrian Vulnerable Person s refugee scheme for Norfolk For more information please contact: Norfolk County Council Corporate Planning and Partnerships Service cpp@norfolk.gov.uk

2 Contents 1. Executive summary 3 2. Introduction 5 3. The potential needs of Syrian refugees 6 4. The proposed programme for Norfolk 8 Page Housing provision and support Community hub to support assessment of needs Dedicated integration and orientation support Specialist education provision Physical health support Specialist family social care support Mental health support Programme support and co-ordination 5. Implementation Indicative financial estimates Key elements requiring Government support and funding 19

3 1. Executive Summary 1. Statutory agencies in Norfolk are committed to providing a high-quality support and resettlement service in Norfolk that enables refugee families to successfully integrate into a new life in the county. 2. A task force of community leaders has worked together to develop a proposed programme for Norfolk. The programme focuses on supporting refugees to build a new life in Norwich. The current costings for elements of our proposed scheme total 31,217 per refugee, equating to 1,560,873 over five years. This compares to indicative basic funding from Government of 22,520 per refugee, or 1,126,000 over five years. 3. In addition to the basic scheme costs for Norfolk there may be potential additional education and health costs, which are detailed later in this paper. 4. The key features our basic scheme are:- Provision of housing in Norwich - furnished and insured private rented accommodation located within 40 minutes of key services; Support for families to help assess their needs, delivered through a community hub for around 18 months, including induction and support programmes; Dedicated integration and orientation support for up to five years with Arabic speakers; Health screenings and support to help access mainstream healthcare services. 5. Additional specialist support around education, family support and mental health provision could be provided, if needed and on the basis that funding could be identified. 6. The proposal is based on resettling 50 Syrian refugees, but Norfolk can be flexible in the number of Syrian refugees welcomed into the county. The number will depend upon the support offered by Government. 7. Successful implementation of the programme would be possible, subject to Government approval of a sustainable resettlement scheme and appropriate investment and actions to address key challenges. The key things we would need from Government to do this are summarised below:- Ensure any Norfolk scheme is fully funded; Make an increased contribution to Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) costs for the purpose of the programme; Take steps to resolve issues with access to universal benefits and personal identity documentation; Adjust school admissions processes to ensure that refugee children are able to attend their closest school and improve provision for Ethnic Minority Achievement pupils; 3

4 Take steps to ensure refugee families can access the infrastructure and support that they need, including access to interpretation services and reviewing of the decision to exclude legal aid for refugee family reunion. 4

5 2. Introduction 1. There is commitment across all statutory agencies in Norfolk to respond to the national effort to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees. A high-quality support and resettlement service can be provided for Syrian refugees in Norfolk, subject to Government approval of a sustainable resettlement scheme. 2. This document has been prepared to help accelerate Norfolk s participation in the national effort. It proposes a five year programme which will provide Syrian refugee families with the support they need to successfully integrate into a new life in the county. 3. Norfolk County Council is the lead agency for developing the proposal, overseen by a task force of community leaders [1]. Norwich City Council is leading work with other Norfolk district and borough councils to secure and manage accommodation for refugees. 4. The five year programme proposed in this paper is evidence-based on United Nations research on the psychosocial and mental health needs of displaced Syrians, learning from UK refugee resettlement programmes and the experiences of statutory agencies in Norfolk of resettling 420 vulnerable refugees through the Gateway Protection Programme. It also reflects the requirements of the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act The proposal is based on resettling 50 Syrian refugees in Norwich, but we can be flexible in the number of Syrian refugees welcomed into the county. The number will depend upon the support offered by Government. 6. The key objective is to secure Governmental support for this programme, to enable Norfolk County Council and statutory agencies to contribute to the national effort and provide a high-quality support and resettlement service for Syrian refugees. Background information about the Government s Syrian Vulnerable Person s Relocation scheme and the diverse background of Syrian refugees is included at Annex 1. [1] Task Force of Community Leaders is Chaired by the Leader of Norfolk County Council and includes Norwich City Council, Broadland District Council, South Norfolk District Council, North Norfolk District Council, Breckland District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, King s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council, Norwich City Football Club, the Eastern Daily Press, the Bishop of Norwich and Norfolk s Lord-Lieutenant. 5

6 3. The potential needs of Syrian refugees 1. A review of the outcomes of vulnerable refugees accepted onto the Government s Gateway Protection Programme (a resettlement initiative similar to the Syrian Vulnerable Person s Refugee Scheme) suggests that refugees may need specialist support for many years following their arrival in the UK i. 2. This is reinforced by the experiences of statutory agencies in Norfolk of resettling 420 vulnerable refugees through the Gateway Protection Programme. Participation in Gateway has provided extensive learning about the long-term needs of refugees, and the support they need to successfully integrate ii. 3. Many of the refugees who came to Norfolk through Gateway between 2006 and 2011 have found it difficult to achieve independence. They continue to present with needs above and beyond the usual pattern that would be expected in the general population. This includes: Family breakdowns, leading to children being looked after; Learning parental skills in British society (i.e. appropriate child chastisement); Adults requiring significant support from mental health services, including a higher than average likelihood of being detained under the Mental Health Act; Young people presenting with mental health problems; Families visiting their GP more frequently, with longer appointment times; Young people exhibiting behavioural problems in school, leading to permanent exclusions; Young people achieving poor educational outcomes; Problems maintaining housing tenancies, evictions, unpaid debts; Honour-based abuse and female genital mutilation; Women needing additional support to learn English; Hate crimes and incidents. 4. Monitoring of refugee resettlement programmes indicates that many refugees will struggle to find employment, and may be reliant on benefits for the duration of their time in the UKiii. Reliance on benefits and difficulties finding employment are caused by many factors, including: Language difficulties, which limit the job opportunities available, and which make job-seeking more challenging - such as writing competitive job applications; Virtually no income to fund key resources that many in the UK take for granted internet and phone access, the cost of re-training or adult education, the cost of travel to interviews, clothing and equipment; The challenges of lone parenting and difficulties finding/funding childcare; Limited access to emotional support to provide the resilience necessary for dealing with rejections and job-seeking in a new country. 5. Reliance on benefits places refugees at risk of falling into a poverty trap. It increases the risk of social isolation, mental health issues and family breakdown. It sets up a cycle of 6

7 dependency upon providers. The five year programme of support proposed in this paper will give refugees every opportunity to successfully integrate. 6. The men, women and children fleeing Syria have commonly been subjected to and/or witnessed torture, kidnappings and massacres. They have been victimised by rape and other forms of sexual violence. Their homes and neighbourhoods have been destroyed. They have been targeted and seen people killed by bombs and snipers. They have suffered physical injuries resulting in chronic disability, and had loved ones killed or disappeared. 7. A recent United Nations assessment iv of the mental health and psychosocial needs of displaced Syrians revealed persistent fear, anger, lack of interest in activities, hopelessness and problems with basic functioning. Of the almost 8,000 individuals who participated in the assessment, 15.1% reported feeling so afraid and 28.4% feeling so angry that nothing could calm them down; 26.3% felt so hopeless they did not want to carry on living ; and 18.8% felt unable to carry out essential activities for daily living because of feelings of fear, anger, fatigue, disinterest, hopelessness or upset. 8. Many Syrian adults report that the well-being and future potential of their children constitute their greatest source of stress. For many Syrian children and adolescents, distress is a product of direct exposure to war-related trauma, challenging family dynamics associated with trauma and displacement, and stressors related to adjusting to life in a new country. Parents and other family members exposed to traumatic experiences and showing symptoms associated with stress and trauma are more likely to demonstrate poor parenting, including abuse and neglect in some cases. 7

8 4. The proposed programme for Norfolk 1. The overall aim of the programme is to support refugees to build a new life in Norwich, equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to access mainstream services, employment and opportunities. Taking into account their potential needs (see Section 3). 2. Syrian refugees could be located in any part of Norfolk. Norwich is proposed because it can provide refugees with access to an Arabic speaking Sunni mosque community and the county s only Shia mosque. Norwich is also already well equipped with the key infrastructure and services needed to meet needs. See Annex 2 for further information about the location and logistical issues and opportunities. 3. Priority features of the programme are summarised below, but would require sufficient investment and support from Government to deliver (see Section 6, Indicative Financial Estimates, for more information, and Annex 4). Housing provision and support 4. Norwich City Council will take the lead in working with other district and borough councils in Norfolk to secure and manage properties for refugees, and provide tenancy support during the five year programme. The provision of tenancy support was identified as a critical factor in enabling Gateway refugees in Norfolk to maintain stable and successful tenancies. 5. Upon arrival in Norfolk, refugees will be housed in private rented accommodation in Norwich. Homes will be risk assessed, furnished (including basic white goods) and insured. 6. Careful planning will take place between statutory partners to ensure that wherever possible, given the availability of housing, refugees are located within 40 minutes walking distance of key services. This will include an Arabic-speaking mosque and schools with sufficient school places to take siblings, to minimise transport costs for refugees. 7. Given the extremely high demand for all tenures of housing in Norwich, refugees are likely to be accommodated on Norwich s outlying estates, with local services and good transport links to the city centre. 8. Refugees are eligible for housing benefit, which will be used to cover the cost of housing. However, it will not be possible to secure housing for refugees in Norwich beneath the housing benefits cap (see Annex 3 for more information). As already shown, refugees may be reliant on housing and other benefits for the duration of their time in Norfolk. Therefore, in order to avoid putting refugees at risk of homelessness, the Government is called upon to make an increased contribution to discretionary housing payments (DHP) costs for a minimum of five years (see Section 7 for details). 8

9 9. Information about why Norwich is the preferred location and why private rented sector housing will be used is set out in annex 2 and 3. Community hub to support assessment of needs 10. For the first 18 months of arrival (or more, as required), key support for refugees will be delivered through a community hub model to help manage their transition to Norfolk. This will enable cost-effective delivery of a comprehensive screening, induction and support programme for refugees. It will minimise the logistical challenges of providing induction over a wide geographical area and maximise availability of scarce resources such as Arabic interpretation and translation services. 11. The support available through the hub model will include: Cultural/orientation briefings and emotional support; Adult learning for English; Paperwork support with form-filling and registration with the plethora of services and systems in the UK (e.g. registering for benefits; opening bank accounts); Community health services and a mental health triage model; Provision of on-site assessments for physical health (regarding medical conditions and risk of transmittable diseases; mental health; social care, education; and English language and integration support); Social care support provided on-site through social work and support workers. 12. The hub will be managed by qualified social work staff who have a working knowledge of both children s/adults legislation and mental health. They will also have knowledge of asylum and/or immigration issues, and a working knowledge of the Mental Health Act. Dedicated integration and orientation support 13. Refugees will be provided with dedicated integration and orientation support for up to five years. Integration and orientation workers will be Arabic speaking, with a combination of female and male workers. There are already a number of voluntary sector agencies in Norfolk which provide advice and support for refugees and asylum seekers. We will seek to use existing mechanisms wherever possible to provide integration support for Syrian refugees. 14. Integration and orientation support will cover: Arrival and reception in Norfolk orientation briefing; Settling refugees into their new homes; Help with unfamiliar but practical tasks, e.g. locating halal shops; shopping; cooking; cleaning; operating heating systems and appliances; Integration support (how to access public services, pay bills, negotiate public transport, ask for help etc.); Introductions/facilitating briefings from key service providers, e.g. Police visits to inform refugees about community safety, aspects of UK law with which they may 9

10 be unfamiliar (for example in relation to drugs or the importance of not leaving children alone in the house); Introduction to support networks, e.g. mosque communities, refugee services; Introduction and enrolment in English language classes; Registrations (GPs, children centers etc.); Form filling for benefits, bank accounts etc.; Travel arrangements; Employment support; Emotional support. 15. As support is tailored-off after 18 months, a regular drop-in style service will be provided to refugees for ongoing help with practical tasks, such as interpreting letters, questions about services, finances or employment etc. Specialist education provision 16. Specialist educational provision will be available to support vulnerable refugee young people throughout their primary and secondary education, to ensure they fulfil their potential and achieve good outcomes. The importance of ensuring the right education support cannot be over-estimated it will make all the difference to young people s lives and their successful transition to adulthood and employment. 17. In the first 18 months of arrival in the UK, a refugee school (integrated alongside the multi-disciplinary team) will be established. This will provide a safe and nurturing base, for assessment of young people s educational needs and tailoring of appropriate initial interventions. It will also provide family support and access to a wide range of educational services. The refugee school will enable a phased approach to integration in mainstream education. Where possible, it will be colocated on a school site to allow a range of integration activities to take place within a safe and known environment. It will exist for a minimum of 18 months to build resilience to tackle academic qualifications, further education work; also to provide a safe location when children and young people suffer set-backs or experience issues, including bullying. 18. Throughout their time in school, refugees will continue to be supported as a cohort within the Virtual School, to enable monitoring of progress and attainment and identify any interventions as required. 19. Young people will be allocated an early years, school or post-16 place to ensure that they are on-roll (this must also consider children of non-statutory school age who will become of age within the next 5 years). School placement and engagement is critical. Schools must have the appropriate expertise and resources to support refugees who may be many years behind in their education and for whom English is a second language. This will mean careful consideration of the specific needs of the child and best practice recommendations. 20. Support will be provided to parents to ensure barriers to parental engagement are removed. Parent Support Advisers will be deployed. 10

11 21. The need to work collaboratively around a strategic educational plan which brings cost effectiveness and efficiency as well as optimising outcomes is key. Basing the refugee school on an existing school site will have significant benefits whilst reducing rental costs, travel costs etc. Work will take place with bus companies to consider free bus travel to address transport costs. Work will also take place with leisure providers to engage young people in opportunities for social and emotional wellbeing. 22. Provision of after-school activities will help with social interaction, community engagement and cohesion. Physical health support 23. City Reach, a team of NHS doctors, nurses and support workers based in Norwich who already provide health-based support to people who find it difficult to access health services, will take the lead in supporting refugees to access mainstream healthcare in Norwich. 24. City Reach works alongside mainstream primary health care and is integrated with the many partners providing support to asylum seekers, refugees and people with no recourse to public funds. The service would utilise the pathways and health screening template developed over the last 10 years by this specialist service. The service would support all new arrivals to access appropriate mainstream health care and provide ongoing support to both service users and mainstream healthcare during the 12 month period. 25. In the first week of arrival, initial health screenings will be carried out to ensure the immediate health needs of refugees are met, e.g. care of pregnant women, children s immunization programmes, identifying those with long term conditions and in need of medication and identifying any immediate presenting acute health problems. 26. Refugees should have been screened for communicable diseases (e.g. TB) before travelling to Norfolk, but we know from experience with Gateway that many issues are not identified. This may require a specialist team and arrangements will be made for screenings through Norfolk s Public Health England local contact. 27. Refugees will be supported to register with an appropriate GP, dentist and optician and given orientation to local health care services. 28. Where necessary, acute health care appointments will also be set up, to facilitate any urgent care needs. 29. Refugees will receive an orientation briefing on UK health services, such as how to make a GP appointment, appropriate use of health services and 999 emergency services 30. In advance of refugees arrival, general practitioners and hospital consultants will be briefed on cultural factors, unfamiliar conditions and medical problems unique to Syrian refugees, for example, torture and other physical abuse, rape and other forms 11

12 of sexual abuse, malnutrition, exposure, shrapnel and gunshot injuries and disorders relating to possible use of chemical weapons. Specialist family social care support 31. Following initial screening and delivery of any immediate social care interventions over the early months, refugee families will receive specialist social care family support as and when required over the next five years. Monitoring of refugee resettlement programmes indicates that family dysfunction and instabilities tend not to emerge until well into the first year of settlement, so the needs of families will be subject to regular review. 32. On-call or overnight support may be required depending on the needs of refugees; for example many refugees experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 33. Wider social services expertise will need to be drawn upon to meet individual needs as identified for example: Refugees with physical disabilities Sensory impairments, older people Learning disabilities Drug/alcohol problems Youth offending 34. If funding allows, a duty contact point will be established to enable professionals/ schools to phone for guidance and signposting. Mental health support 35. Mental-health and psychotherapy services, including mental health screening and triage and group/individual counselling may be required for at least five years, to facilitate healing and positive coping amongst Syrian adults and their children. These services will be integrated alongside family support services and parent psychological education regarding common responses to trauma and stress for children. 36. There will be a focus on group work with communities and multi-family therapy. Groups focus on building coping skills needed to navigate challenges common to the refugee context and difficult family dynamics. 37. Services will be provided by a team of therapists, physical health and social workers, integrated within the community hub, working closely with nurseries, schools and colleges liaising with adult education, work opportunities and housing providers. 38. Some of these services may be highly specialist, to ensure they are appropriate for survivors of conflict and war and to address cultural issues. In addition, it may not be possible to deliver them through interpreters and translators. In view of this, some bespoke services may be required. 12

13 Community action and support 39. Many residents, faith, voluntary and other organisations in Norfolk have offered generous support to Syrian refugees, covering a range of areas such as practical and emotional help, befriending and English language provision. 40. The potential impact of this community support is significant. Every opportunity will be taken to ensure refugee families benefit from these generous offers, and to explore ways in which these offers could help to minimise costs of the scheme. 41. Advice from authorities already participating in the VPR scheme is that offers from volunteers must be carefully managed and coordinated. As well as addressing safeguarding issues, many refugees want to remain low profile within the community and may be hesitant to do anything which attracts attention to their refugee status. There have also been issues where well-intentioned support from volunteers has suddenly been withdrawn, due to unforeseen circumstances. This can cause difficulties for refugees who may have depended on the support. 42. An Arabic-speaking volunteers co-ordinator will work with stakeholders (volunteers, faith groups, Parish and Town Councils, voluntary sector, communities, residents, businesses) to ensure generous offers of support are managed and co-ordinated effectively. Programme support 43. One full time programme manager (a qualified social worker) will be required to manage the resettlement programme, coordinate partnership working and ensure proper accounting practices are adhered to so the spend of the grant can be evidenced. One full time support officer will be required to support administration. 13

14 5. Implementation 1. The timeline below sets out a potential timeline for implementation of the programme, subject to agreement and any funding shortfall being addressed. 2. Some of the services proposed are not currently in place in Norfolk and may require a lead-in time or one-off investment to plan, commission or make ready. There are a number of issues and challenges relating to current service capacity that will be need to be taken into account; these are summarised in Annex 3. Phase 1 gain agreement from Government for fully-funded five year scheme Action Task force members and relevant statutory partners to agree proposed five year scheme and priority changes to legislation/benefits Task force to make representations to Government about five year scheme and priority changes to legislation/benefits Secure approval from Government for five year scheme Work with Home Office to finalise grant agreement. Establish planning group of key agencies to coordinate service planning and delivery Indicative timescale December 2015 December January 2016 Phase 2 planning and preparation Action Determine strategic reporting arrangements for Programme Manager Recruit to 1 x Programme manager and 1 x business support posts Recruit to other key posts and work with local voluntary agencies to explore options for providing integration and orientation support to refugees. Establish multi-disciplinary programme board Locate, furnish, insure and make ready reception centre accommodation Explore options for provision of community hub Establish & brief reception center team/staff including on-call or overnight support. Notes/comments 14

15 Action Plan housing requirements in private rented sector location; proximity to school places/services etc; locate, furnish, insure and make ready housing Plan specialist education provision/school places etc Identify options for English Language provision Design refugees welcome & arrival programme (first four weeks): Meet refugees at airport; transport to reception center; Orientation briefing Help with key tasks, e.g. locating halal shops; shopping; cooking; cleaning; operating heating systems and appliances Integration support (how to access services, including emergency services, pay bills, negotiate public transport, ask for help) Introductions/facilitating briefings from key service providers, e.g. Police visits to families to inform refugees about community safety, about aspects of UK law with which they would be unfamiliar (for example in relation to drugs, or to the importance of not leaving children alone in the house) Introduction to support networks, e.g. mosque community, refugee services Introduction and enrolment in English language classes Registrations (GPs, children centers etc) Form filling for benefits, bank accounts etc Travel arrangements Emotional support. Provision of initial screening for social care, mental health and education needs, English language and integration support; A mental health triage model Paperwork support with form-filling and registration with the plethora of services and systems in the UK (e.g. registering for benefits; opening bank accounts) Design five year English language support package Brief all relevant partners/practitioners, specifically: Notes/comments 15

16 Action Notes/comments Adults and children s social care Mental Health Education & schools Housing Primary and secondary health leads Norfolk Constabulary DWP Additional briefings/engagement with Refugees with physical disabilities Sensory impairments, older people Learning disabilities Drug/alcohol problems Youth offending Design refugees orientation programme month 2 5 years Phase 3 Implementation Phase 4 - Review 16

17 6. Indicative Financial estimates 1. Detailed financial estimates and assumptions are set out in Annex 4. It should be noted that these are indicative estimates. The actual costs will depend on the needs of individual refugees, the size and make-up of families, the availability of services that need to be brought in, and opportunities for working collaboratively with other authorities in the region. 2. All costs are based on provision for 50 refugees. The national funding offer 3. The Government confirmed on 26 November 2015 that local authorities will be offered 8,520 per refugee in Year 1, 5,000 in year 2, reducing to 1,000 in year 5. This does not include SED/Education funding, and Annex 4 estimates funding levels. 4. Medical care costs are split between the costs of registering a new arrival with a GP and secondary medical costs for refugees with more serious medical needs. This funding allows 200 for primary medical care and 2,000 for secondary medical care per refugee. The Government has confirmed that costs above this level would be funded and could be negotiated. 5. We estimate that the total funding proposed by the Government would be around 33,845 per refugee over five years v, equating to total funding of 1,692,250 (this includes education and SEN funding). The Norfolk proposal basic scheme costs 6. A basic scheme would cover the expected/known/fixed elements of the programme, including housing provision, programme management and support, staffing and property. Basic costs are estimated as 31,217 per refugee, equating to 1,560,873 over five years. 7. This basic scheme excludes any potential specialist support provision, but this would enable a basic scheme to be delivered within the estimated level of Government funding. 8. Note: Cost of community hub not yet included options being identified. The Norfolk proposal potential additional specialist costs 9. As described in this paper, the proposal also includes some additional specialist support and service provision which, depending on the needs of those involved, may be needed, albeit possibly at a scaled down level. 10. Specialist education costs are estimated as 27,504 per child (assuming 25 children), equating to 687,600 over five years. This is based on the advice of education experts, 17

18 and assumes that young people may be up to four years behind with their education and need English language support. 11. Other specialist costs, including mental health provision and family support, are estimated as 43,829 per refugee, equating to 2,191,473 over five years. This is based on the advice of clinical experts and mental health commissioners, informed by UN evidence about the mental health needs of displaced Syrians. 12. These elements of the proposal would only be progressed if there was a clear need for this level and type of support. In which case, we would want to talk to Government to negotiate additional funding for these elements. 18

19 7. Key elements requiring Government support and funding Issues for public agencies Scheme design requirements/asks 1. A fully funded five year scheme 1a) We call upon the Government to: Work with us to address the costs faced in Norfolk to resettle refugees and agree to the scheme proposed in this paper. Provide us with a guarantee of core costs and commit to meeting additional costs, as set out in this briefing if or when they actually arise. 2. Housing Private rent levels in Norfolk will not be affordable for refugee families reliant on housing benefit income pressure (see below) can place families at risk of becoming homeless. Lack of paperwork can lead to problems securing housing 1b) Consider whether the Controlled Migration fund that DCLG is currently developing could be made available to local authorities that agree to home Syrian refugees with a view to easing pressure on local services. Discretionary housing payments (DHP) 2a) We call upon the Government to make an increased contribution to DHP costs for the purpose of the refugee programme The Immigration Act 2014 instructed landlords (section 22) to carry out status checks themselves at a risk of increased penalty payments if done incorrectly, or not at all therefore some assurance of proper procedure may be required. 2b) We call upon the Government to raise awareness among landlords that Biometric Residence Permit (BPR) identity doc is valid proof of identity 3. Access to universal benefits & personal identity issues Limited income/personal resources Refugees need fast access to universal benefits system and support into work (research has shown it can take 85 days from applying for benefits to receiving the first payment) - 3a) We call upon the Government to increase the speed of refugee access to National Insurance Number (NINO) and BPR as these are critical to 19

20 Issues for public agencies Scheme design requirements/asks applying for benefits, accessing banking and job applications, eg by: Providing these or initiating applications before arrival in host community Setting and enforcing a maximum waiting time for applications to be processed Permitting short term benefit advances to be made where waiting time will be extended Ideally, the Home Office would ensure that NINOs and BPRs are delivered to the refugees at the same time. In 2011 all funding for the national Refugee Integration and Employment Service was cut. This funded voluntary and local authority agencies to provide a package of integration support including integration advice services (such as accessing housing, education and benefits), employment support services and a mentoring scheme. 3b) We call upon the Government to consider reinstating some of the financial support lost when the Refugee Integration and Employment Service was cut so local agencies in areas welcoming refugees can provide this critical support The roll out of Universal Credit should simplify access to benefits therefore it may be preferable to put refugees through this new system. 3c) We call upon the Government to take steps to ensure that refugees are put through the new Universal Credit scheme to simplify access to benefits Universal Credit operates fully online and is paid direct into bank account therefore access to ICT and banking will be also critical (see next point and below). The Red Cross has recommended that an internal helpline, dedicated to refugee issues, should be available in every local Job Centre Plus. This helpline should be manned by staff who have expertise in this issue and can provide accurate advice to local staff. 20

21 Issues for public agencies Having a bank account is critical for refugees to access benefits and work but problematic due to a lack of documentation. Refugees are less likely to be in work (negative risk factor for mental wellbeing) Scheme design requirements/asks 3d) We call upon the Government to make sure a helpline is available to JobCentre Plus staff to access expertise about refugee issues and policy 3e) We call upon the Government to: raise awareness across the banking sector (also amongst employers, landlords) that BRP identity doc is valid proof of identity. The Immigration Act 2014 instructed banks (section 40) to carry out status checks themselves at a risk of increased penalty payments if done incorrectly, or not at all therefore some assurance of proper procedure may be required. make sure that refugees have fast access to a NINO so they can apply for a post office account if unable to open bank account make sure that post office card accounts can be opened quickly for refugees (reportedly can take up to 6 weeks) make sure refugees can easily get bank accounts Access to documentation is critical to this, in particular the BRP see above. Reportedly, there are issues with employers not recognising the BRP as proof of permission to work. 3f) We call upon the Government to raise awareness of the BRP as valid proof of permission to work (see above) Some researchers have highlighted the potential role for refugees in the local social care workforce Some refugees may be skilled professionals in their origin country. With the right support to fund them to take conversion qualifications/technical language courses (e.g. for medical, dentistry, social care), they could be supported to gain employment and contribute to shortages in the local labour market over the long term. The cost of funding conversion and technical language courses/qualifications, whilst on benefits, is likely to be prohibitive. 3g) We call upon the Government to support exploration of the role of refugees in the social care workforce 21

22 Issues for public agencies Scheme design requirements/asks We urge the Government to consider funding conversion and technical language courses/qualifications for skilled Syrian refugees Being on a low income can make it harder for refugees to access critical services (limited use of telephone, internet, travel) To avoid unaffordable travel costs it will be important to ensure refugees are as close as possible to their key services (such as schools, libraries for internet access). 3h) We call upon the Government to adjust school admissions processes to ensure that wherever possible refugee children are able to attend their closest school, for example by: adding refugees to the categories of children (eg LAC) that schools are always able to admit over the admission number treating EAL needs in the same way as we currently treat SEN ie putting them higher in order of priority for places Access to a computer/internet is critical, for example to access benefits. 3i) We call upon the Government to take steps to make sure refugee families have easy access to key communications such as telephone, for example through: Equipment rental Loan Grants Note: Library services can provide internet access. 4. Other issues emerging themes Language barriers can lead to isolation a significant risk Access to interpreting services has been described as a primary need for refugees, particularly critical for: factor for physical and mental wellbeing and assessment of children at risk employment/attainment supporting children in schools prospects applying/being assessed for support eg welfare benefits making sure social care provision is appropriate (older refugees present particular risks as they have fewer incentives and fewer opportunities to pick up English language skills) 22

23 Issues for public agencies Scheme design requirements/asks The Red Cross has reported that refugees are struggling to access interpreter services at Job Centre Plus offices. 4a) We call upon the Government to take steps to improve access to interpreting services at Job Centre Plus offices There is currently limited support for children s EAL needs in schools with no entitlement to support, no defined curriculum and no clearly defined additional funding. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant was mainstreamed into the Direct Schools Grant (DSG) in 2011 meaning there is no longer protected funding for EAL learners, though the Government does still allow for EAL factor when it calculates how much money to give to local authorities overall. A research report from the NASUWT suggests the impact of 'mainstreaming' EAL and ethnic minority funding has been a reduction in available support despite rising demand. In Norfolk 333 is allocated to schools per EAL pupil and a specialist EAL service is also provided to support schools. Refugee children may need 1 to 1 class-based support, resources such as bilingual dictionaries, electronic translators, talking pens or Ipads. 4b) We call upon the Government to take steps to improve provision for EAL pupils, for example through: More defined EAL funding for schools Widening the scope of the group of pupils EAL funding factor is applied to currently only applied to pupils with EAL for a max of 3 years after entering system, could this extend to cover the 5 year period? Making schools more accountable for how they are using EAL funding, similar to Pupil Premium requirements currently they are not required to use EAL allocation to meet the needs of bilingual pupils Building EAL factor/refugee status into Pupil premium with some sort of enhanced rate Separation from family Separation from and concern about family is associated with poor physical and psychological health. Family has been found to be important for 23

24 Issues for public agencies Scheme design requirements/asks integration and as a source of informal support that can prevent people needing formal services. Separation from family is particularly significant for lone refugees who are particularly at risk of social isolation and mental health issues associated with this. Refugees are entitled to request family reunion (process of bringing separated family members across border to be reunited) from UK Border Agency but the Red Cross has highlighted that most refugees are unable to exercise these rights unless support is provided eg with: Language Form filling Understanding administrative processes Coping with stress of prolonged separation Funding of flights Legal aid Costs of providing documentation sourcing, translating, application fees, postage Analysis has shown that UK government provision for support and travel is inadequate compared to other countries and this is placing families at increased risk of destitution. Disabilities - shame associated with disability acquired through torture can prevent individuals seeking help Increased frailty of older refugees 4d) We call upon the Government to: Review its decision to exclude legal aid for refugee family reunion Take steps to ensure access to communications services (see above) Consider providing increased financial support to organisations that can provide the support required for family reunion eg Citizens Advice, Red Cross, solicitors for legal aid Refugee community groups, and particularly refugee disability groups can play a key role in people overcoming isolation 4e) We call upon the Government to provide more support for these Older refugees are more likely to become physically and/or mentally frail at an earlier age than older people in the UK due to their life experiences. For refugees, the threshold of 60 or 65 is inappropriate 50 or 55 might be more appropriate. 24

25 Issues for public agencies Scheme design requirements/asks 4e) We call upon the Government to consider exempting/ applying a more flexible definition of older person for purposes of thresholds for refugees to access associated support like free prescriptions, concessionary travel, age related benefits 25

26 Annex 1 The Syrian Vulnerable Person s Refugee Scheme 1. UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI), part of the Home Office, administers the Syrian Vulnerable Person s Refugee Scheme (VPR) scheme. 2. The scheme currently prioritises help for survivors of torture and violence, women and children at risk, and those in need of medical care. 3. Refugees selected for the scheme will continue to be taken from camps around Syria and elsewhere in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. The scheme will not accept people who have already crossed into Europe. This will provide refugees with a direct and safe route to the UK, rather than risking the journey to Europe. 4. There are no plans in the initial phases of the resettlement programme to include unaccompanied minors. 5. Refugees are over 90% Sunni Muslim and Arabic speaking. Generally, families comprise between 4-6 people. 6. Refugees on the scheme are granted five years humanitarian protection, with leave to remain in the UK for five years. This gives eligibility for universal benefits, e.g. NHS healthcare, housing and employment benefits and all public funds. At the end of five years, if refugees are unable to return to Syria, they may be eligible to apply to settle permanently in the UK. 7. In order to participate in the VPR scheme, an organisation takes the lead role in an area. This could be a county, district or even voluntary agency in a two tier area. The lead agency is responsible for engaging with relevant stakeholders and working through local issues to agree an approach and develop an appropriate delivery model. The lead agency agrees and holds a grant agreement with the Home Office for running the scheme. 8. When refugees are accepted on the scheme they undergo a medical examination to identify implications for service provision and costs in the first year. The details are shared with the lead agency six weeks prior to arrival of the refugees. The ethnic diversity of Syria 9. Over the centuries, the region that is now Syria was populated with people from a wide diversity of ethnic and religious backgrounds, often fleeing conflict elsewhere. While the majority of Syrians are considered Arabs, this is based on spoken language (Arabic), not ethnicity and without census data it is only possible to estimate the ethnic and religious composition of the current Syrian population. 26

27 10. Around 10% of Syria s population is Kurdish (2 million people), followed by Turkmen, Assyrians, Circassians and Armenians. There are also small communities of Dom, Greeks, Persians, Albanians, Bosniacs, Russians, Chechens and Ossetians. 11. Many of these have become Arabicised and may not necessarily maintain a specific ethnic affiliation. In other cases tribal affiliation has gained importance as a way for Syrians to identify and organise themselves, with a lack of other state structures. Language 12. The Syrian Constitution refers to Arabic as the only official language. The second most common language is Kurdish but this was barred in 1958 schools and only since 2012 have Syrian Kurds began to reassert cultural rights with Kurdish language publications, radio and TV stations and restoring Kurdish language teaching in school. Smaller numbers of Syrians have Armenian as their mother tongue. Religion 13. Prior to the recent conflict Sunnis accounted for the religious affiliation of approximately three-quarters of the population with other Muslim groups, particularly Shi a, constitute approximately a 10% of the percent of the population. The Christian population in Syria representing a further 10% can be Arab or non-arab (Syriac/Aramaiac and Armenians) and typically orthodox eastern Christian or Catholic. There are small groups of Yezidi tribes and Protestants. The Government s other refugee resettlement programmes 14. In addition to the VPR scheme, the Government runs two programs for the resettlement of refugees: the Gateway Protection Programme and the Mandate Refugee Programme. 15. These schemes are operated by the Home Office in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Gateway resettles approximately 750 vulnerable refugees from around the world each year. Mandate allows refugees from around the world with close family ties with the UK to be resettled in the UK. 16. Refugees on Gateway and the VPR scheme can apply to bring family members to the UK through the Home Office s family reunion programme. The distinction between refugee resettlement schemes and asylum dispersal 17. Norwich is one of three asylum dispersal areas in East Anglia (including Peterborough and Ipswich). This was agreed with the Government 10 years ago. 27

28 18. Asylum dispersal is a separate process to resettlement schemes. Asylum dispersal deals with people who have already crossed to Europe to claim asylum. Asylum dispersal areas cannot accept the VPR scheme in place of an increase in asylum seekers. 28

29 Location and logistical issues Annex 2 1. Syrian refugees could be located in any part of Norfolk. However, Norwich will provide refugees with access to an Arabic-speaking Sunni mosque community and the county s only Shia mosque, in addition to the greatest number of social integration initiatives, voluntary and community support and employment opportunities. 2. Norwich already has a large Arabic-speaking community from the Mahgreb area, as well as the Middle East, who live, work or are in education at UEA. Arabic-speaking refugees in Norwich are particularly from Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Eritrea and Algeria. Whilst the city has five mosques, the mosque on Dereham Road is most popular with Arabic-speaking worshipers. 3. In locating refugees, the following logistical issues will be taken into account: Distance to key services 4. Ideally, housing should be within a 40 minute walking distance of key services, e.g. health services, community resources and an Arabic-speaking mosque community, to reduce travel costs. Travel is expensive for refugees reliant on benefits, and difficulty affording transport is a major factor in social isolation. 5. Housing should also be within walking distance of schools that have sufficient spaces to take sibling groups, so that siblings are not separated. If refugee young people attend school miles from their home, the cost of transport to school over many years is significant, and they have reduced opportunities to build friendships and social networks in their local area. Community cohesion 6. Positive relationships between refugees and the host community depend on a shared sense of safety and positive public attitudes. 7. Whilst community tension is low in Norfolk, research and police data indicates that refugees, asylum seekers and people perceived to be Muslim may be subject to hate incidents and crime. Refugees are likely to experience hate incidents during their first year in a new country. 8. Concentrating refugees in a small geographical area may attract those who object to their presence and who wish to find a central point to campaign negatively. There are individuals in Norfolk who sympathise with extremist views and this must be taken into consideration. 9. Refugees will be housed across Norwich and not concentrated in any particular area. The aim in locating them will be to enable them to develop strong social connections 29