The Government has published a new White Paper, ‘Restoring control over the immigration system’, which sets out planned changes to the immigration system ahead of future legislation or changes to the current rules.
Key proposals affecting children and families include:
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To strengthen the age-assessment processes by exploring scientific and technological methods to ensure adults are ‘not wrongly identified as children’.
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To increase the qualifying time for indefinite leave to remain in the UK (settlement) from five to ten years under a new ‘Earned Settlement’ points-based model, with the exception of non-UK dependents of British citizens. Children and young people who have grown up in the UK may be able to qualify faster through the accrual of points through activities such as work or study.
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To introduce a ‘new family policy’ to be introduced before the end of the year, which will tighten the rules around Article 8 of the ECHR, ‘right to family life’, as well as tighter rules on family visas, and family reunion applications for refugees.
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To create a ‘clear pathway’ to ensure that those children in care or care leavers with unsettled immigration status can regularise this by the time they turn 18.
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To introduce a means of immediate settlement for any bereaved parent of a British or settled child.
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To reduce the financial barriers to young adults who have lived here throughout their childhood from accessing British nationality.
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To introduce a new criminal offence of child criminal exploitation, through the Crime and Policing Bill.
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To review existing refugee sponsorship and relocation schemes, such as the Communities for Afghans and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, or other community sponsorship initiatives.
Our reaction
At Barnardo’s, we firmly believe that every child in the UK should be safe, happy, healthy and hopeful.
Lynn Perry
Chief Executive of Barnardo’s
"We welcome a number of proposals in the Government’s Immigration White paper, including the commitment to support children in care and care leavers to regularise their immigration status before they reach 18, hopefully providing greater certainty and security for this group of young people; the introduction of a new offence to keep children safe from Criminal Exploitation. However, we are concerned that overall, family migration is primarily presented as a risk to be ‘managed’ or ‘controlled’. For example, proposals to lengthen routes to settlement, would mean that children – including children born in the UK and whose parents are in work, could have a further five years in poverty, without any access to the safety net available to others."
“Such measures risk introducing additional barriers to the love, care and security that families provide to their children. Children have the best chance of flourishing when they don’t face the anguish of living separated from their parents and siblings, with no hope of reuniting.
“We urge the government to reconsider its approach and framing when it comes to children and families arriving and building a life in the UK. We should recognise that immigration for the purposes of family unity is itself fundamental to creating safer, happier and healthier childhoods in the UK.”