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Organisations that help refugees find work in the UK

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Organisations that help refugees find work in the UK

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Courtesy of Richard Benson, Cardiff University

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Organisations that help refugees find work in the UK - 7 May 2026 (1)

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Far-right riots: Advice for people seeking asylum and refugees - Aug 25

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Far-right riots: Advice for people seeking asylum and refugees - Aug 25

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Helping Refugees Communicate: Free Communication Boards and Symbol Resources

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Helping Refugees Communicate: Free Communication Boards and Symbol Resources

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Widgit

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We have worked with partners and volunteers across Europe to produce a set of free materials to support refugees during these difficult times.

These resources are included in a free pack which will help bridge the language barrier between Ukrainian refugees and their hosts. The pack is available in both Ukrainian and Russian, alongside the language of the host nation.

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Refugee Communication Support Pack | Widgit

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Communication boards and symbol resources designed to help bridge the language barrier between Ukrainian refugees and host nations.

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Ukraine Welcome Pack & Beneficiary & Guidance (UK)

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Ukraine Welcome Pack & Beneficiary & Guidance (UK)

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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/welcome-a-guide-for-ukrainians-arriving-in-the-uk

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​This is a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK. It also includes specific information for those arriving on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Details

This guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK covers what you need to know in your first few days, getting used to life in the UK including how to find a home, access essential public services, healthcare, find work and childcare and education services.

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Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Courtesy of South West Councils

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Helping Ukrainian students in schools and colleges

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Helping Ukrainian students in schools and colleges

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Guidance and resources to help education staff support Ukrainian pupils.

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Helping Ukrainian students in schools and colleges

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Guidance and resources to help education staff support Ukrainian pupils.

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Courtesy of South West Councils

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Free courses for Ukrainian refugees and their families - WEA

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Free courses for Ukrainian refugees and their families - WEA

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We have pulled together a programme of courses for Ukrainian refugees and their families, all free.

Click on the links below to learn more and book, or call our Support Services team on 0300 303 3464.

You can book on someone else's behalf, and our team are always happy to help.

13/06/2022
Drawing from Scratch

14/06/2022
Paper bead jewellery

16/06/2022
Words and Music We Can All Share

16/06/2022
Learn to Draw Portraits

16/06/2022
Introduction to ESOL Entry2/3

17/06/2022
Supporting Employment Opportunities

17/06/2022
Introduction to ESOL Level 1

17/06/2022
Yoga and Storytelling

21/06/2022
Simple book making

22/06/2022
Card Making using Recycled Materials

27/06/2022
Fitness Fun for Families Taster

29/06/2022
Baking in a Mug for Families

04/07/2022
Summer Fitness Fun for Families

05/07/2022
Making a Crumble Together

12/07/2022
Biscuit Decorating for Families

19/07/2022
Jewish Celebrations Food

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Free courses for Ukrainian refugees and their families

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We have pulled together a programme of courses for Ukrainian refugees and their families, all free. Click on the links below to learn more and book, or call our Support Services team on 0300 303 3464. You can book on someone else's behalf, and our team are always happy to help.

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News, advice and guidance.

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українська Select language Ukrainian українська

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Migration Yorkshire briefing and resources

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Migration Yorkshire briefing and resources

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Migration Yorkshire Ukraine Resources & Links 18.05.22

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The project helps refugees and asylum seekers gain the English language skills they need in order to integrate into their new communities and access mainstream education and jobs while also allowing University students to gain teaching experience.

Apart from the English classes, the project also develops language learning materials for refugees and migrants, which are freely available in our Materials section.

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The English Hub for Refugees - Research at Kent

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The project helps refugees and asylum seekers gain the English language skills they need in order to integrate into their new communities and access mainstream education and jobs while also allowing University students to gain teaching experience. Apart from the English classes, the project also develops language learning materials for refugees and migrants, which are [...]

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Refugee Council | Supporting and empowering refugees

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The Refugee Council is one of the leading charities in the UK working directly with refugees and asylum seekers and supporting them to rebuild their lives.

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At Refugee Action, we've spent 35 years helping refugees build safe, hopeful and productive new lives in the UK. Join us now to help refugees live again.

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United Nations Refugee Agency - Supporting refugees in the UK

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United Nations Refugee Agency - Supporting refugees in the UK

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Help with accomodation and integration

We've been moved by the large number of people generously offering to share their homes with refugees. We can't assist with these kind of requests, but there are other organisations which may be able to help.

In response to a public groundswell of support for refugees, the Home Office has launched the "Help Refugees in the UK" webpage to help ensure that support is focused on the goods and services that refugees need most. The Home Office has more information about how you can help refugees here.

If you are interested in providing housing to asylum seekers whose claims have been refused, or to someone who has recently been granted refugee status, you can get in touch with Room for Refugees, NACCOM or Refugees at Home.

Those based in London who have a spare room they would like to rent to a refugee may be interested in the Refugee Council's Rent Guarantee Scheme. Alternatively, if you represent a community organisation or charity, you can now support resettled refugees through community sponsorship.

Volunteer

UNHCR does not take on volunteers in our UK office, but there are many refugee organisations across the country which depend on the support of volunteers, including:

British Red Cross
Refugee Action
Refugee Council
Scottish Refugee Council
Welsh Refugee Council

Get informed. Share the facts.

People often have misconceptions about refugees and asylum seekers and sometimes fail to recognise their huge contribution to the UK. You can help change this by staying informed and sharing the facts. Find out more about asylum in the UK, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and read our latest report to keep up-to-date.

For more information on helping refugees in the UK, visit the Home Office website.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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We've been moved by the large number of people generously offering to share their homes with refugees. We can't assist with these kind of requests, but there are other organisations which may be able to help.

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English language support for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants

The project helps refugees and asylum seekers gain the English language skills they need in order to integrate into their new communities and access mainstream education and jobs while also allowing University students to gain teaching experience.

Apart from the English classes, the project also develops language learning materials for refugees and migrants, which are freely available in our Materials section.

2021 | Copyright by The English Hub for Refugees

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The project helps refugees and asylum seekers gain the English language skills they need in order to integrate into their new communities and access mainstream education and jobs while also allowing University students to gain teaching experience.Apart from the English classes, the project also develops language learning materials for refugees and migrants, which are freely available in our Materials section.

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The Council of Europe has developed the toolkit presented on this website (available in seven languages) to support member states in their efforts to respond to the challenges posed by unprecedented migration flows. It has been produced as part of the project Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants (LIAM) of the Council of Europe’s major Programme on language policy.

The toolkit comprises the 57 tools and other resources contained in the various sections of this website. Tools can be downloaded and adapted to meet the needs of different contexts

The toolkit is designed to assist organisations, and especially volunteers, providing language support for adult refugees. Throughout the toolkit “refugee” is understood in a broad sense and includes asylum seekers as well as refugees.

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A Council of Europe Toolkit

The Council of Europe has developed the toolkit presented on this website (available in seven languages) to support member states in their efforts to respond to the challenges posed by unprecedented migration flows. It has been produced as part of the project Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants (LIAM) of the Council of Europe's major Programme on language policy.

The toolkit comprises the 57 tools and other resources contained in the various sections of this website. Tools can be downloaded and adapted to meet the needs of different contexts

The toolkit is designed to assist organisations, and especially volunteers, providing language support for adult refugees. Throughout the toolkit "refugee" is understood in a broad sense and includes asylum seekers as well as refugees.

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Language Support for Adult Refugees - Apoyo lingüístico a refugiados adultos - www.coe.int

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Language support for adult refugees: a Council of Europe toolkit

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Future Learn Course - 'Volunteering with Refugees. 

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Future Learn Course - 'Volunteering with Refugees. 

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Learn how to identify and respond to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers

When volunteering with refugees, it's important to understand their backgrounds, current situations and needs in order to provide the best support.

On this three-week course, you'll look at strategies and techniques for identifying the diverse needs of refugees and asylum seekers. You'll develop your knowledge of the emotional and linguistic needs of those settling into life in a new country, and the role you can play in supporting them.

This course has been developed by experts from Cambridge University Press & Assessment and The Human Hive.

Explore teaching strategies to aid communication

For many refugees coming to a new country, communication can be a huge barrier. On the course, you'll develop strategies for communicating with refugees and for building positive learning relationships.

You'll learn about the importance of understanding refugees' home languages and cultures and explore different contexts where you might be working with refugees.

Become an effective volunteer

You'll explore behaviours associated with trauma and look at how to manage your own needs and responses in order to create safe spaces for learning.

You'll also work with The Human Hive Framework and learn how to to design and structure appropriate learning activities.

Unpack language teaching methods

During the final week, you'll explore key teaching strategies for language learning. With this knowledge, you'll develop resources to support your learners in becoming confident in using English.

By the end of the course, you'll have raised awareness and some new skills to effectively support refugees from different backgrounds and cultures.

Learning on this course

If you'd like to take part while our educators are leading the course, they'll be joining the discussions, in the comments, between these dates:

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for those either currently volunteering or planning to volunteer with refugees and asylum seekers.

The focus of the course is on providing appropriate linguistic support, such as teaching English to refugees, taking into account their needs and future plans. Previous teaching experience will be helpful but is not essential.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning

Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities

Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners

Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course

Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning

Whenever you're ready, mark each step as complete, you're in control

Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

You can use the hashtag #volunteerteachrefugees to talk about this course on social media.

More courses you might like

Learners who joined this course have also enjoyed these courses.

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Volunteering with Refugees - Online Course - FutureLearn

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When volunteering with refugees, it's important to understand their backgrounds, current situations and needs in order to provide the best support. On this three-week course, you'll look at strategies and techniques for identifying the diverse needs of refugees and asylum seekers.

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Refugee support in the UK and abroad

We are currently updating information on the availability and contact details of our services due to coronavirus. If you need refugee services, please check again soon.

We have worked with Doctors of the World and other organisations to produce information on coronavirus in 23 languages.

Helping people in the UK

The British Red Cross supports vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers. We provide refugee services in 58 towns and cities across the country.

We offer care and support when people arrive in the UK after a political or humanitarian crisis.

Helping people overseas

As part of the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, we help people who are forced to flee their homes. Together, we help them find safe and legal routes to new countries.

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How we support refugees | British Red Cross

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Refugee support in the UK and abroad We are currently updating information on the availability and contact details of our services due to coronavirus. If you need refugee services, please check again soon. We have worked with Doctors of the World and other organisations to produce information on coronavirus in 23 languages.

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This page was last updated on: 6 May 2022.

This page is also available in Ukrainian and Russian.

Welcome

Routes for Ukrainians to seek sanctuary in the UK

Healthcare

Learning English

Free and discounted travel on the Transport for London network

Need a document on this page in an accessible format?

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.

It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.

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Useful information and resources for Ukrainians coming to or living in London.

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Teaching & Learning and Skills Resources in Ukrainian

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Teaching & Learning and Skills Resources in Ukrainian

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Klik2learn’s digital English Language programme extends to Ukrainian refugees.

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Ukrainian Refugees English Language Programme - Klik2learn

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Klik2learn provides local authorities with a digital English language programme for Afghans, Syrians and Hong Kong BNOs who have recently been welcomed to the UK. This package is extended to support all refugees from Ukraine. We work with local authorities who can provide funding for ESOL or learners can subscribe to the service directly.

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New - Open University free course: 'Introduction to Ukrainian language and culture'.

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New - Open University free course: 'Introduction to Ukrainian language and culture'.

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Introduction to Ukrainian language and culture

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introduction to ukrainian language and culture

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Introduction to Ukrainian language and culture

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Building on the experience developed since the launch of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures, this free short course provides an introduction to Ukrainian languages and culture. This ...

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Free online resources for Ukrainians settling in the UK and Ireland

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Free online resources for Ukrainians settling in the UK and Ireland

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free online resources for ukrainians settling in the uk and ireland

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Free online resources for Ukrainians settling in the UK and Ireland

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From free courses in the English language to articles on mental health and wellbeing, here are some free online resources from The Open University.

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We can't possibly know how it feels to leave homes, family members, friends and livelihoods behind.

Our Ukrainian colleagues are worried for the safety of their loved ones and the wider team continue to wonder, like so many others, what they can do to help.

Finding yourself in another country where you don't speak the language can't be easy, so we're offering all Ukrainians full access to Busuu Premium free of charge for three months.

For Ukrainians wanting to access our language courses for free, you can read more here: busuu.com/ru/c/ukraina-navchaisya-bezkoshtovno

We hope this will go some way to helping those who've been displaced to learn what's necessary and get by in their host country.

You can choose from:

We're also asking the Busuu Community to share details of this scheme with any Ukrainians they know who are affected by the ongoing crisis. This is the link you need to send to them: busuu.com/ru/c/ukraina-navchaisya-bezkoshtovno

We remain united in our hope for peace and will continue in our mission to empower people through languages.

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Free Language Lessons for Ukrainians - Busuu Blog

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We can't possibly know how it feels to leave homes, family members, friends and livelihoods behind. Our Ukrainian colleagues are worried for the safety of their loved ones and the wider team continue to wonder, like so many others, what they can do to help.

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Free English language courses for refugees from Ukraine

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Free English language courses for refugees from Ukraine

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Free English language courses for refugees from Ukraine - eTalk

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eTalk Global expresses full support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people! Every Ukrainian can become a student of the English language course.

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Host Nation - Connecting Refugees with host communities

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Host Nation - Connecting Refugees with host communities

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HostNation | Helping refugees through friendship

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Guidance Document - aimed at London but contains nationally relevant advice.

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English Language (ESOL) for Resettlement

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The guidance aims to provide the necessary knowledge and expertise to navigate the ESOL landscape and effectively secure appropriate ESOL provision for the individuals and families they are supporting. The information in this guidance document is specific to London. Similar systems and resources may be available in other regions of the UK, but there will likely be some variations.

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A guide to the UK immigration and asylum system. The Right to Remain Toolkit is a step-by-step guide to the UK immigration and asylum system. It’s free to use, and it’s for people who want to learn more about the legal process, or a particular part of the legal process. You might be making an application or are thinking about it; you might be helping someone else to do so.

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pdf/print page The asylum substantive interview is the big interview in the asylum process when the Home Office interviewer will ask you in detail about your reasons for claiming asylum. The interv…

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Videos on pregnancy screenings in community languages

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Videos on pregnancy screenings in community languages

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Screening tests for you and your baby on Vimeo

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Join the web's most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.

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Human Trafficking and the ESOL Classroom

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Human Trafficking and the ESOL Classroom

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See also Unseen app (next column ➡️).

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Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

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Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

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The following Know the signs / Know your rights posters are available to download.

We have hard copies of some of these posters. Please email communications@gla.gov.uk to check availability.

Know your rights and know the signs of labour exploitation posters in Ukrainian

Know the signs of labour exploitation - ОЗНАЙОМТЕСЬ З ОЗНАКАМИ ТРУДОВОЇ ЕКСПЛУАТАЦІЇ - Ukraine

Know your rights - ОЗНАЙОМТЕСЬ З СВОЇМИ ПРАВАМИ - Ukraine

Know the signs - Shellfish

Know the signs - Processing and packaging

Know the signs - Textiles

Know your rights - Shellfish

Know your rights - Processing and packaging

Know your rights - Textiles

Know your rights - Agriculture

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Know the signs - Exploitation - Your rights - Posters - GLAA

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GLAA Know the signs of exploitation - Know your rights posters for shellfish, processing and packaging and textiles. Download here.

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The following workers' checklist poster is available to download.

The poster contains QR codes which provide links to further information.

Download the workers' checklist poster:

English

Bulgarian Български

Polish język polski

Romanian Română

Ukrainian Українська

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Workers’ rights - UK - Checklist - FREE - GLAA

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Information about your rights as a worker in the UK from the GLAA. Also in Bulgarian Български, Polish język polski and Romanian Română

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A Ukrainian Workers’ Rights leaflet produced by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. This explains what rights and entitlements workers have in the UK and how to report anything that appears unlawful.   (Englsih version below)

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English With Ukranians YouTube channel (free)

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English With Ukranians YouTube channel (free)

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A YouTube channel called "English With Ukrainians". Ukrainian translators translate lessons & discuss linguistic/cultural differences. There are also activities that are suitable for host families to do with Ukrainian guests. Some may find our "cultural gaps" (lesson 3) especially useful. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChzPezzBTkm8bu2lrr5y0UA
Bradley Dalton-Oates

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EnglishWithUkrainians - Англійська з українцями

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Download the pack in English, Pashto or Dari.

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Supporting Afghan children in schools

This section is for education professionals in the UK who are supporting young Afghans. Read Azad's blog or listen to Salma's voice note to understand the important differences between education in Afghanistan and the UK.

A brief experience of the education system in Afghanistan.

I am writing as a young person who has the experience of going to school in Afghanistan and have also the experience of education in the UK.

Both these experiences have given me the ability to distinguish educational system both in the UK and Afghanistan. To give you a concise idea that how educational system works in Afghanistan. I will try to walk you through a day in the school back in Afghanistan.

Usually, the school day is short, and it is not more than four hours a day. A student starts their day by coming to school, most of the time not having a break, listen to the teacher for whole four hours.

There is less teamwork provided by teacher in the class. On the same time, you don't have the opportunity to engage with opposite gender. You sit in single gender class where the method of teaching is more teacher centred. This means that you have less opportunity to engage with teacher or with other students. This method will not allow you to criticise or question what you have been told by your teacher.

Your class is not provided by any IT system and everything should be written by hand. So, students are less likely to engage with IT to support their studies. Also, the interaction and relationship between you and your teacher is quite strict, tough and closed. Teachers must respected and shouldn't call by their name. Rather, you should use the title Mr, Ms, or the word Respected Teacher. You will leave the class and be told to memorise the lesson for tomorrow.

Whereas, in the UK, the method of teaching is student centred, class are mix gender, you have access to IT and you have the opportunity to easily engage with your teacher. Teachers here should remember that refugee students from Afghanistan are vulnerable and need more support in time to adapt to the new system. They need to be provided with IT knowledge, with the skill of teamworking and be supported in terms of engaging with other students. Teachers should be more approachable towards them. This will give them the opportunity to interact back with the teachers.

What are the differences between the education systems in the UK and Afghanistan? By Salma.

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Refugee Education UK | Welcome to the UK!

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This page includes useful resources for learning English, managing wellbeing and accessing and becoming comfortable with the education system. Our welcome packs are also linked here.

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Welcome: a guide for arrivals to the UK from Afghanistan

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Welcome: a guide for arrivals to the UK from Afghanistan

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Skip to main content

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We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

Accept additional cookies Reject additional cookies View cookies

A guide for families arriving under the ex-gratia scheme (EGS) and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).

The UK government has been running a scheme to assist locally employed staff (LES) in Afghanistan, who have been supporting British forces since 2013. The scheme includes the ex-gratia scheme and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and reflects the government's strong commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities to current and formerly locally employed staff in Afghanistan.

This page hosts a welcome pack which has been designed for arrivals under ARAP and EGS to welcome them to the UK and provide them with information to establish their new lives here. It is written to provide an overview of life in the UK and to be used alongside the package of support that local authorities will provide, including temporary housing, help with school admissions and registering with a doctor.

This page and welcome pack have been translated into Pashto and Dari, and will be revised over time to add new and updated information.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Information on services may be different depending on which country of the UK you live in.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Welcome: a guide for arrivals to the UK from Afghanistan on the locally employed staff relocation scheme

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Free volunteer-made language course for Afghani speakers of Pashto / Pashtu. (Dari speakers may find it helpful too.) No book needed!

More info at https://www.parsemus.org/pashto-english-lessons/. Please spread the word to Afghani immigrants and refugee service groups you know!

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published on

Free volunteer-made language course for Afghani speakers of Pashto / Pashtu. (Dari speakers may find it helpful too.) No book needed! Listen while you drive, do dishes, anything. More info at www.pashtoenglishlessons.org. Please spread the word to Afghani immigrants and refugee service groups you know!

Genre

Learning

Contains tracks

License: cc-by

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English lessons for Pashto speakers by Pashto English Lessons

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Free volunteer-made language course for Afghani speakers of Pashto / Pashtu. (Dari speakers may find it helpful too.) No book needed! Listen while you drive, do dishes, anything. More info at www.pashtoenglishlessons.org. Please spread the word to Afghani immigrants and refugee service groups you know!

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Welcome Pack in Cantonese for Hong Kong BNO

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Welcome Pack in Cantonese for Hong Kong BNO

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Click here for the English version: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1013244/HK_BN__O__Welcome_Pack_August_2021.pdf

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Whilst not specifically  ESOL resources, these could be used in an ESOL context.

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Why does access to healthcare matter?

Access to healthcare is one of our basic rights – we all accept that we cannot thrive unless our health needs are addressed and treated. Issues relatively trivial, like toothache, can have a profound impact on our health and well-being if they go untreated.

This is particularly important for refugees and people seeking asylum who have experienced unimaginable horrors on their route to seeking safety in the UK and often rely on access to health services to rebuild their lives here.

Providing holistic support to our clients has always been at the heart of our work. An important element includes providing our clients with support in relation to their health needs. As such, we have been one of the pioneers within the refugee sector, providing specialist mental health support to our clients, through our Therapeutic Service. Additionally, many of our clients present with complex health needs, however, they find it challenging to access health services and understand how the NHS works. We have set up a Health Access to Refugees Programme (HARP) project to empower people we work with to access the UK health system while also ensuring health services are better equipped to support them.

Barriers with access and need for action

Unfortunately, too often refugees face barriers to accessing even basic health services. There is, therefore, an urgent need for better provisions and cooperation between health professionals and relevant government departments so that those gaps are understood and addressed.

We know, through our direct work with people seeking asylum, that the asylum support model creates a degree of uncertainty and distress, and that people find it extremely challenging to access health services. They are often wrongly refused access to primary care, like GP registration, as well as routinely refused interpreting by GPs, dentists or even at the hospitals, even when this is essential to an understanding of their health problems. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted these and additional issues which our clients are facing when they require health assistance. Many of them are digitally excluded, don’t have mobile phones (of if they do, they cannot afford top-up credit) or access to the internet which are instrumental in accessing health services and information, especially during lockdowns.

Although refugees have access to the mainstream health and support systems, they are often incorrectly refused secondary healthcare or are asked to pay upfront for assistance that is not urgent and immediately necessary. This often happens when the administration and medical staff are not familiar with refugees’ rights and treat them as foreign visitors. Many of our female clients, who are pregnant, would not access antenatal care and eventually present themselves at the point of delivery. This is because they fear they will be charged or even detained and deported if they engage with health services, which they see as an extension of the work of the Home Office, tasked to blindly enforce immigration controls.

On top of the above issues, both refugees as well as people seeking asylum, face the consequences of the government’s policy of hostile environment, which cascades to the health sector. Many of our clients are traumatised by their past experiences, some even experienced abuse and torture at the hands of medical professionals in their home country. It is, therefore, not surprising that they are already reluctant to approach health professionals. The current governmental approach goes against their agenda to level up and improve populations’ overall health and well-being.

It is vital that access to health is free from immigration control and that there is a firewall between the Department of Health and Social Services and the Home Office on issues like patient data sharing. Harmful and populist rhetoric has a ripple effect, targeting refugees and people seeking asylum but also putting each one of us at risk when we look at this issue from a wider lens. We are living in a society with growing health inequalities and, as the experience of the pandemic proved already, we cannot afford to ignore the health needs of anyone in our society if we are truly all in this together.

How we address health inequalities

We know that providing health support through our service delivery is one of the ways in which we can assist our clients to have better health outcomes and make it easier for them to integrate. Our frontline experience and hearing directly from our clients allow us to identify and address those emerging issues through our advocacy and policy work.

We have worked on a range of resources that we hope are going to be useful to our clients, health professionals, NGO stakeholders and decision-makers in understanding barriers and seeking solutions so that refugees and people seeking asylum can access health support when they need it.

1. Refugee Council’s policy note on health barriers – outlines the main issues our clients are experiencing when they access health services, including issues arising in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. PDF version.

2. Therapeutic IAHC Communication Card – a double-sided card with useful vocabulary and phrases with translations. It can be used to speed up and clarify communication about health problems with the doctor, nurse, reception staff, in the hospital, with people who work in supporting organisations and to members of the public; translated to five languages: Albanian, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Tigrinya.

3. Maternity guide for women on asylum support. Print version | PDF version.

4. Maternity guide for professionals. PDF version.

5. Films – we have produced five video films to share learning and good practice based on our experience of delivering the HARP project:

Film 1 – It is different over here: access to healthcare in the UK.

Film 2 – Experiencing the asylum process in the UK and impact on health.

Film 3 – Access to health for people seeking protection in the UK.

Film 4 – The right to be understood: the importance of interpreting.

Film 5 – Experts by Experience.

You can also view all the videos in our video hub: HARP video resources: accessing healthcare in the UK.

We like to thank the talented filmmaker, Pishdaad Monderessi, and Stand and Be Counted Theatre Company for making it possible to create those films.

Please refer to our resource and policy pages for more information.

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Helping Refugees Communicate: Free Communication Boards and Symbol Resources

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Helping Refugees Communicate: Free Communication Boards and Symbol Resources

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The Refugee support pack contains a range of symbol-supported communication charts and useful resources that can be used by anyone to help refugees convey health information, urgent needs and requirements.

The pack will provide refugees with the essential language required to allow them to communicate at a basic level whilst also telling their story.

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Refugee Communication Support Pack | Widgit

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Communication boards and symbol resources designed to help bridge the language barrier between Ukrainian refugees and host nations.

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The housing rights page on Help for Ukrainian refugees now has details on housing and homelessness eligibility, benefits, council tax and right to rent checks.

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Contents:

Homes for Ukraine scheme

Ukraine Family Scheme

Ukrainians already in the UK

Ukrainians who claim asylum

Eligibility rules for housing and homelessness assistance and for benefits

Effects on council tax and rebates

Right to rent checks in England

Key government advice pages for the Ukraine crisis

Other advice for Ukrainian nationals

Millions of people are fleeing the war in Ukraine. The government has various schemes to help those who come to the UK and the details below are updated as new information becomes available. This page gives general information as well as specific details on housing and benefits issues.

Last updated: May 27 2022.

Homes for Ukraine

For Ukrainians with no ties to the UK, the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) scheme allows them to be sponsored by individuals or local authorities so that they can receive accommodation and support. Scotland and Wales are part of the scheme. The scheme expects to accommodate 200,000 Ukrainians: individuals and groups can register here as potential sponsors. Initially the scheme focuses on individual sponsors but will later extend to hotels, religious charities, etc. There is a page of FAQs on the scheme (updated May 20, with versions in Ukrainian and Russian), separate guidance for sponsors (May 20) and a factheet for Ukrainians (with translations).

Up to May 24, around 75,000 visas had been issued under the scheme, spread across the UK; 38,000 people had actually arrived here. The data include numbers at local authority level, according to the sponsor's location.

There is no limit on numbers providing people have matched sponsors. Ukrainians who want to be sponsored apply for a visa under the scheme (those going to Scotland should select 'the Scottish Government' as their sponsor, they will then be matched to an individual sponsor). Those who come are initially granted leave for six months and are able to work and access public services. They can then apply online to be given up to three years' leave.

The government has published guidance (updated with more detail on May 20) for local authorities. This covers pre- and post-arrival checks, the role of councils, funding arrangements, data sharing arrangements, rematching where a sponsor arrangement breaks down, the future of the scheme and other details. There is information about required safeguarding and accommodation checks, including suggested minimum accommodation standards. There is separate guidance for local authorities in Scotland and Wales. The LGA has good practice examples of accommodation checks by local authorities and of local partnerships to support refugees. Northern Ireland also has guidance to the HFU scheme.

On benefit issues relating to the 'thank you' payments, the DWP confirms that:

The host will be no better or worse off in terms of their benefit entitlement as a result of the payment they receive from the government.

The 'thank you' payment is not a rental liability for the persons sponsored.

There is guidance on this for staff administering benefits.

The sponsor cannot charge rent, but may ask the guest to 'pay a reasonable and proportionate contribution (according to use) for water, gas and electricity consumed or supplied to the accommodation or to any shared facilities' There also needs to be an agreement as to what, if anything, should be paid towards the council tax.

Ukrainian evacuees are not able to apply for housing costs support via housing benefit or universal credit until they have a 'rental liability' (after they leave the Homes for Ukraine scheme). For more details on benefits issues for Ukrainians, see below.

The Association of British Insurers has said that sponsors will be protected from any changes to their home insurance costs, with their cover remaining the same for the first 12 months, even if their policy is due for renewal. Landlords offering property under HFU do not have to register as a landlord in Scotland, as normally required.

LGA, CIH and local authorities have raised a number of concerns with DLUHC about administering the accommodation checks and other issues. Ongoing meetings are taking place. Clive Betts MP, as chair of the LUHC committee, has asked questions about local authorities' role (e.g. May 24). There are also concerns about the risks of human trafficking and warnings from the UN refugee agency of sexual exploitation. The Charity Commission issued a warning about possible sexual exploitation. City of Sanctuary UK has set out a list of practical things for potential hosts to consider before applying to sponsor Ukrainian guests. The Scottish Government introduced new rules to make enhanced safeguarding checks on those providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees in Scotland.

Ukraine Family Scheme

British nationals and people of any nationality settled in the UK are being supported to bring parents, grandparents, adult children and siblings to the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme. Eligible applicants must be Ukrainian or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who is applying to the scheme, and have been residing in Ukraine before 1 January 2022. Everyone assisted requires a visa and these can be obtained online. People who are eligible under this route are encouraged to call a free helpline +44 808 164 8810 (0808 164 8810 in the UK). Those given a visa have three years' leave and will have access to benefits and housing (once regulations have been changed).

Unlike the HFU scheme, there is no 'thank you' payment for hosts, nor is accommodation inspected. Those arriving under this scheme who find their accommodation to be unsuitable have to present as homeless to the local authority, as there is not yet a mechansim to move them to a sponsor under the HFU scheme (and applications to it cannot be made within the UK).

Ukrainians already in the UK

Ukrainians already in the UK with a visa can extend their visa or switch to another immigration route even if their visa does not normally allow them to do so. A 'visa extension scheme' opened on May 3 for those who had permission to be in the UK before March 18. They will have access to public funds and so will be eligible for benefits and housing. However, extended visas under this scheme cannot lead to settlement, so time spent in the UK under them will not 'count' for those who subsequently apply for indelfinite leave to remain.

Now the scheme is open, it should remove doubts about whether all Ukrainians who were already in the UK before the crisis will be able to secure access to public funds. For example, seasonal workers can switch to this scheme and are no longer tied to the same employer. The UNHCR provided a fuller list of those who were not originally protected and who could now apply for an extension visa.

Anyone in England not covered by the scheme who has limited leave (even with a no public funds condition) has the right to rent in the private sector, and can in any case rent privately in Wales and Scotland.

Ukrainians who claim asylum

Ukrainians already in the UK can also claim asylum, which would give them access to asylum support accommodation while their claim is dealt with. However, this may not be the best course of action, as explained by the Free Movement website here, and they should get legal advice before making a claim. When someone with existing leave applies for asylum, their leave is typically automatically extended and subject to the same conditions as before, including, where relevant, the right to work and rent. The gov.uk page on asylum for Ukrainians has been withdrawn, however, while policy is updated.

Eligibility rules for housing and homelessness assistance and for benefits

Amendments to the rules in England took effect on March 22. They bring within the scope of housing and homelessness assistance Ukrainians who have had to flee the violence who were resident in Ukraine before 2022. Anyone in this group who has leave without a public funds condition and without a sponsorship (maintenance undertaking) is eligible. The changes also apply to local authority housing and homelessness assistance in Scotland. There is an explanatory memorandum on the changes. The equivalent changes in Wales took effect on April 28.

The homelessness code in England has been amended. (Note that local authorities are already reporting homelessness cases from breakdowns in some of the early accommodation arrangements.) Consolidated versions of the English and Welsh regulations are available on the page on housing eligibility law.

The rule changes also remove the habitual residence test for UK and Irish nationals, or others with settled status in the UK, who return to the UK after being resident in Ukraine before 2022. They ensure that anyone fleeing Ukraine is entitled from the date they arrive, and do not have to wait 1-3 months. There is an explanatory memorandum to the changes.

The equivalent rule changes for universal credit (UC), state pension credit (SPC) and housing benefit (HB) took effect at the same time. These changes remove the habitual residence test for anyone who was living in Ukraine before 2022 and who has either been given leave or is a British citizen or Commonwealth citizen with the right-of-abode. They ensure that anyone fleeing Ukraine is entitled to UC/SPC/HB from the date they arrive, and do not have to wait 1-3 months. Many are already receiving pension credit.

There is an explanatory memorandum to the changes (and also a DWP guidance memo covering UC/HB and another covering pension credit). The explanatory memorandum says that DWP had intended to align exemptions from residency tests with the new schemes for those arriving from Ukraine, but this is not yet possible. Instead they have introduced general exceptions from the residency tests for those with leave either inside or outside the immigration rules. Anyone arriving in the UK under the Home Office schemes will benefit from these exemptions. (Note that those housed under the HFU scheme will not have a rent liability, and will not be able to claim.)

An order which takes effect on June 1 makes time-limited changes to homelessness legislation in England, relaxing the rules on use of bed and breakfast accommodation to allow for sponsorship arrangements. Both Nearly Legal and Shelter discuss its implications.

Effects on council tax and rebates

These are the rules about council tax exemptions and discounts:

A dwelling where all the occupiers aged 18 or over are either from Ukraine, students, severely mentally impaired or any combination of these (e.g. two Ukrainians and one student) is exempt from council tax. But in England this only applies if the person from Ukraine has leave under the HFU scheme (SI 2022/439 3(3)). In Scotland it applies to anyone who was resident in Ukraine before 1 January 2022 and who has any kind of leave or the right of abode (SSI 2022/124, reg. 2).

Likewise a person who is liable for council tax (owner-occupier, tenant) does not lose their discount due to the presence of a person would be ignored when determining an exemption in the rule above (England, SI 2022/439 2; Scotland SSI 2022/125, reg. 2).

In England, a dwelling that would be exempt from council tax because it is unoccupied continues to be exempt if the only person(s) living in it have leave under the HFU scheme (SI 2022/439 3(2)). But this only applies to those dwellings that would otherwise be in an exempt class: for example, if the previous owner is in hospital or long-term care, has gone bankrupt or where the dwelling has been repossessed by a mortgage lender.

And these are the rules about council tax rebates:

Although people who are supported under the Ukraine family scheme are entitled to UC or HB the law for council tax rebates (CTR) has not yet been changed. Strictly speaking this means they are not entitled until they are habitually resident (usually after one to three months). However, in England and Wales, this does not stop a person from getting a discretionary council tax rebate until then (Local Government Finance Act 1992 s.13A(1)(c)).

A person who is disregarded for the purpose of a council tax discount does not trigger a non-dependant deduction from the liable person’s council tax rebate. This rule is from the existing law (e.g. it applies to a Ukrainian living with a tenant under the sponsor scheme).

In Scotland, government payments made to a host under the HFU scheme are disregarded as capital (SSI 2022/125 regs 3, 4).

Further changes to the law are expected over the coming weeks.

Right to rent checks in England

The guidance on right to rent checks has been amended with a new Annex I which advises landlords on how to make right to rent checks for Ukrainians. Those arriving under the two main visa schemes initially have leave outside the rules for six months and so their right to rent will need to be rechecked when they receive their biomentric residence permit giving them up to three years' leave.

Key government advice pages for the Ukraine crisis

As well as the links above, other gov.uk pages with advice on the schemes and for Ukrainian nationals, updated regularly, include these:

explanation of the appendix to the immigration rules relating to the three government schemes

a list of voluntary organisations running schemes which provide support for and help match people coming from Ukraine with sponsors in the UK.

visa support for Ukrainian nationals (in English, Ukrainian and Russian)

Homes for Ukraine factsheet (in English, Ukrainian and Russian)

a Welcome Guide for new arrivals (in English, Ukrainian and Russian)

a guide to next steps to resolve their immigration status for recent arrivals from Ukraine (also available in Russian and Ukrainian).

Other advice for Ukrainian nationals

Other sources of help (in addition to the usual advice agencies) include:

Free advice for Ukrainian nationals is being provided by the Ukraine Advice Project UK (the link includes advice in Ukrainian). Ukrainians seeking advice can email ukraine@freemovement.org.uk and the lawyers will try to allocate them to a volunteer.  Another free advice service can be contacted by email at projectu@dlapiper.com

In Scotland, Ukraine Advice Scotland is sponsored by the Scottish Government to provide free legal advice. It has an advice line, 0800 995 6045, open on Tuesdays and on Thursday mornings, or can be contacted by email: ukraine@justrightscotland.org.uk (initial contact is in English, but interpreter services are available). The Scottish Refugee Council also has extensive guidance.

The Free Movement website has an excellent article explaining the details of the current routes for Ukrainians to be able to stay in the UK and how they work (correct at March 24).

A comprehensive guide from the Works Rights Centre is being updated as policies develop.

A migrant charity has compiled a very comprehensive page (in Ukrainian) for those considering leaving Ukraine now.

The Financial Times has a guide for hosts and guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme (April 29).

The following organisations are recognised providers of hosting arrangements under HFU:

Refugees at Home

Citizens UK (via USPUK)

Reset - which works with communites and local councls.

World Jewish Relief

Two other providers also offer hosting arrangements:

Room for Refugees

Shelter for Ukraine (details in Ukrainian)

Some social landlords, such as South Yorkshire Housing Association, are giving guidance to tenants on sponsoring Ukrainians.

The government education hub has guidance on getting school places. Guidance is also available on primary health care.

The House of Commons Library has a briefing on where Ukrainians live in the UK.

The Migration Observatory has a very useful summary article, which is updated when there are new developments.

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Housing Rights Information - Help for Ukrainian refugees

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Housing rights information for UK migrants and new arrivals including refugees, EEA nationals, accession state nationals, and people with limited and indefinite leave to remain.

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Important Information for Displaced People from Ukraine

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Important Information for Displaced People from Ukraine

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The anti-trafficking charity Hope for Justice have collated a suite of materials that will support organisations working with new arrivals from Ukraine.

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Important Information for Displaced People from Ukraine

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Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Humanitarian response in Ukraine and neighbouring countries

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Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Humanitarian response in Ukraine and neighbouring countries

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Thrive LDN Ukraine scoping and options V1.7

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Website of the Welcoming committee of Hong Kongers

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Website of the Welcoming committee of Hong Kongers

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Ukrainian Translation Older Learners: What Are They Doing? Verb Cards

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Use these Ukrainian translated What Are They Doing? Verb Cards to help support students in describing what people are doing. They can be used in verbal practice or as vocabulary reminders during descriptive written work. Why not extend the challenge for your learners?

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FlashAcademy free EAL Ukrainian welcome pack

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FlashAcademy free EAL Ukrainian welcome pack

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FlashAcademy free Ukrainian resource - Learner Profile

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FlashAcademy free Ukrainian resource - Learner Profile

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Resources to help support children and young people arriving from Ukraine.

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Resources to help support children and young people arriving from Ukraine.

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https://content.twinkl.co.uk/resource/76/e9/t-slt-1656063394-helping-ukrainian-students-in-schools-and-colleges_ver_1.pdf?__token__=exp=1656326697~acl=%2Fresource%2F76%2Fe9%2Ft-slt-1656063394-helping-ukrainian-students-in-schools-and-colleges_ver_1.pdf%2A~hmac=19bf08fc6bce53034d9a4b619e3f7d046c3d8e39a503fcbfe47199e5cf789770

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Welcoming refugee and asylum seeking learners Useful resources for schools welcoming newly arrived learners who speak English as an Additional Language

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Welcoming refugee and asylum seeking learners Useful resources for schools welcoming newly arrived learners who speak English as an Additional Language

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Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) welcome programme

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Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) welcome programme

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Introduction

This resource aims to provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and information for local authorities and others who are working with British National (Overseas) ( BN(O)) status holders arriving from Hong Kong via the UK government's BN(O) route.

See further information and associated application process on the BN(O) route which launched on 31 January 2021.

This resource will be updated, as a repository for good practice and learning. Should you have any comments, suggestions, useful materials and/or case studies to share (or additional FAQs that you think should be included here) please email: hongkong@levellingup.gov.uk.

Supporting new arrivals

Local authorities are already playing a key role in working with local partners and communities to ensure those on the BN(O) route are welcomed and given help and support to successfully integrate in their new communities.

Local authorities and their partners in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise ( VCSE) sector have extensive experience of welcoming new arrivals to live and work in their area. While those on the BN(O) route will, in some instances, require specific support, we recognise the wealth of local experience in delivering successful integration programmes that already exists. We have therefore provided links to best practice and resources available under the 'Resources' section.

We want to continue to work with local authorities and communities as the programme develops. More information on how we will engage is detailed below.

Please note that some of this information applies to England only. Where this is the case, it has been highlighted under each section.

Hong Kong UK Welcome Programme - summary

An immigration route opened on 31 January 2021, providing British National (Overseas) ( BN(O)) status holders from Hong Kong and their eligible dependants with the opportunity to come to the UK to live, study and work, on a pathway to citizenship.

This route reflects the UK's historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997.

On 30 November 2022, a change to the BN(O) visa route was announced which will allow some adult children of BN(O) status holders to apply to the route independently from their BN(O) parent. Further information is available. This includes those who:

have at least one BN(O) parent

were born on or after 1 July 1997 and are aged 18 years or over and

are currently resident in Hong Kong, the UK or the Crown Dependencies

In order to be eligible, these individuals will need to meet all eligibility and suitability requirements for the route, but this will no longer include a need for this cohort to apply with their BN(O) parent or be a member of the same household.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities ( DLUHC) is leading delivery of a funded national 'Welcome Programme' to support those on the BN(O) route and their families to help them to successfully settle in their new communities.

The Welcome Programme has the following elements:

demand-led funding for local authorities in England to support BN(O) status holders and their families with English language and destitution support

an online Welcome Pack providing all those on the BN(O) route with information on how to access services and understand life in the UK, with similar resources for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

a network of 12 Welcome Hubs across the whole of the UK to prepare for the arrival of those on the BN(O) route, established using the existing infrastructure of the Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs)

national and regional voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) funds to deliver 42 projects that provide mental health and employability support as well as broader social integration activities

funding to deliver a reporting and support service for those on the BN(O) route and all other East and Southeast Asian communities in the UK who experience racism or any forms of hate

The aims of the 'Welcome Programme' are:

enabling those on the BN(O) route to fully contribute economically and socially to life in the UK, enriching our society

enabling those on the BN(O) route to feel part of UK society, able to mix confidently with people of all backgrounds and provide a positive contribution to the UK and where they settle, including through speaking English well

providing support to both resident communities and those on the BN(O) route to feel safe and welcome, including by ensuring that any hate crime is tackled in a timely way, with follow-up support offered

ensuring that any instances of destitution for those on the BN(O) route is minimised and addressed through effective support services

Funding

What are your plans for the provision of future funding for the Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) Welcome Programme?

In March 2023, DLUHC announced the continuation of its Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme for 2023/24. This includes continued demand-led funding for local authorities in England for English language and destitution support where needed, alongside further funding for Welcome Hubs and VCSE organisations.

We will continue to work with local partners including local authorities, SMPs and VCSE organisations to support BN(O) visa holders and their dependents on the BN(O) route.

As more BN(O) status holders move to the UK, further data will be gathered on their needs and characteristics. We will keep our plans under review for future financial years.

Why is the government providing funding for a BN(O) UK Welcome Programme?

Previous programmes run by DLUHC, such as the Controlling Migration Fund and the Syrian Resettlement Programme, have demonstrated the importance of putting in place a support package for new migrants to enable them to settle into their new communities more effectively. DLUHC is also undertaking work to support those from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

If new migrants can integrate with the settled community, speak English, use services and be economically active, this significantly reduces pressures on local services (including housing where people are at risk of destitution) and minimises negative impacts on community cohesion and tensions.

Demand-led English language and destitution funding (England only)

What do you mean by supporting access to English language provision?

It will be for each local authority to decide what assistance can be provided to those on the BN(O) route who require support to learn English or improve their English language ability.

The ambition is for local authorities making claims for this funding to build upon existing English language infrastructure in place within their local area, through collaboration with community groups and English language providers already established within their local area.

Funding has also been made available for the VCSE sector to deliver regional, community led projects across the 9 regions of England. Many of these offer English language support as part of their projects.

What do you mean by 'destitution support'?

It will be for each local authority to decide what assistance can be provided to BN(O) status holders and their families based upon an individual assessment of a person or household's status, circumstances, and support needs. Where a local authority considers that assistance is appropriate, the local authority should satisfy itself that support provided is within the law.

Can local authorities claim for support provided to people who are not BN(O) status holders or on the BN(O) route but are from Hong Kong?

The funding is available for support provided to BN(O) status holders and their dependents who are on the BN(O) route.

Funding does not cover those who have BN(O) status but have entered the UK through other immigration routes, such as through the points-based system, the youth mobility scheme, student visas or as a visitor. Similarly, the funding cannot be claimed for support provided to those currently seeking asylum in the UK.

It also does not cover individuals who have been granted 'Leave Outside the Rules' until they have made a successful application to the BN(O) route.

How much funding is available?

Funding of up to £850 per adult is available to support access to English language classes for those on the BN(O) route for courses commenced after 1 July. This is an increase to previously announced levels.

Funding of up to £2,720 per  BN(O)  household is available for destitution support.

Which local authorities can access the targeted support funds?

The funding can be claimed by all county councils, unitary authorities, combined authorities, London boroughs and metropolitan boroughs. Where lower tier councils are providing some elements of the support, they will need to agree arrangements for claiming the funding with the local upper tier council, while ensuring that the limits for English language and destitution support are not exceeded.

Have local authorities been given advice on how they can access this funding?

Guidance has been issued to local authority chief executives. It has also been shared with Welcome Hubs.

Funds will be allocated on a quarterly retrospective basis, which should give local authorities certainty on what level of support should be given to BN(O) status holders in their areas.

We have worked with local authorities and the LGA to develop the guidance on clear eligibility criteria for this funding and put in place a streamlined process to access the funding.

If you require a copy of the guidance, please email hongkong@levellingup.gov.uk.

Would funding upfront be a better option?

As those on the BN(O) route can choose to settle in any part of the UK, providing upfront funding to areas based on our projections could lead to some areas missing out on funding to support any future influxes of BN(O) status holders. To address this risk, we are providing retrospective funding to local authorities.

We will continue to keep the funding model under review as the programme develops.

How often will local authorities receive retrospective payments, and does this mean that local authorities have to pay upfront for BN(O) support?

Payments for BN(O) support will be quarterly on a retrospective basis as set out in the guidance. If we provided funding upfront this may mean that some areas providing English language or destitution support may miss out on it.

Local authorities may have to pay for support upfront for those on the BN(O) route in their areas, but the guidance explains the eligibility criteria for this funding. This should give local authorities certainty on what level of support should be given to BN(O) status holders in their areas.

How do you know that the amounts allocated for English Language and destitution support are enough to support BN(O) status holders?

Original costs were based on previous programmes and support. For Year Two of the Programme, the amount available per person on English language support has increased from £800 to £850.

We expect that local authorities will use these funds to build upon existing provision, where available, and that they will work with the Welcome Hubs to deliver support where appropriate.

We will keep these amounts under review based on further data which will be gathered on the needs and characteristics of BN(O) status holders.

Do local authorities have to provide evidence to support claims when spending these funds?

The claim form for this funding asks the local authority to confirm that it has seen evidence that the individual or household requires support. We worked with the LGA and local authorities to agree the format of this.

It is important that DLUHC and partners across government work together to understand any themes, innovation or good practice emerging that could help inform policy developments in this space. In addition to evidencing claims, which will provide monitoring data as to how many individuals have been supported through the scheme, and providing forecasts based on contact with BN(O) status holders, we ask local authorities to complete a light-touch appraisal of the impact of the support this fund has provided.

We would also expect that any local authority receiving this funding would contribute to best practice or similar learning/ knowledge sharing exercises.

Claims must be made on DELTA ( DLUHC's in-house data collection platform). Local authorities need to register with DELTA to submit claims to the department. To help local authorities understand what information is required, the department can provide a sample copy of the online form. Please email hongkong@levellingup.gov.uk to register.

What if there's more demand than expected?

The available funding is based on current estimates of demand and will be kept under review.

Can the funding be used to deliver online resources to complement face to face English language provision?

Local authorities and providers were required to consider the way learning was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many are now embracing digital technology to enhance the way things are done including increasing digital access. If the online resources contribute to the delivery of the learning and are part of the provision, then local authorities can reclaim the costs for this up to the limit.

Can local authorities use the funding to pay for English language classes delivered by a private provider?

It will be for the local authority to decide on the most appropriate delivery arrangements and range of providers within a local area that best meet the language requirements of BN(O) status holders.

How could local authorities increase local provision to meet demand?

We would encourage local authorities to work collaboratively across boundaries or in conjunction with the Welcome Hub network to take advantage of available provision, or to procure new provision where required. Additionally, local authorities may wish to connect with their regional Strategic Migration Partnership's English language coordinator for support and advice.

Some regional VCSE organisations funded by the Programme also offer English language support as part of their community led projects.

Is the funding aimed at a specific type of English language provision?

BN(O) status holders will have differing needs and levels of English language and literacy, so there is no singular type of support that this funding should be used for. Instead, the local authority funding requirements should be informed by the nature of existing local provision and by each adult learner's specific circumstances and requirements.

What provision is being made for children and young people who require English language support?

Where a school age child requires English language support, this will be provided by schools, with funding through the National Funding Formula (NFF) for schools, which includes an English as an additional language (EAL) component. The EAL factor is the means through which state-funded schools in England are allocated additional funding for pupils who are recorded in the school census as having entered state education in England during the last 3 years, and whose first language is not English.

The funding equates to £565 per eligible primary pupil and £1,530 per eligible secondary pupil in 2022-23. The NFF will distribute a total of £410 million through the EAL factor in the current financial year. Schools have flexibility over how they use their overall funding to support EAL pupils in developing proficiency in English, as they are best placed to understand and respond to the specific needs of their pupils.

Will local authorities be able to reclaim the costs of providing creche/childcare provision where required for English language provision?

We recognise that some learners face certain barriers to participation in learning, such as caring and childcare responsibilities. Where a learner requires creche/childcare provision, local authorities should consider practical solutions to support learners. Where possible, support should be provided as part of the provision and additional costs may be reclaimed, subject to the limit per learner. Further information is required as part of the claim form.

Can I claim for associated costs such as exam fees, initial learner assessments etc?

Where possible this should be built into the overall provision and claimed up to the limit.

Welcome Hubs and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSE)

What is the role of the Welcome Hubs and wider SMP network?

Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs) coordinate and support local delivery of national programmes in asylum and refugee schemes, as well as agreed regional and devolved migration priorities. SMPs work with stakeholders in the statutory, voluntary, private and community sectors to provide a strategic leadership, advisory and coordination function on migration for their regions and Devolved Governments, ensuring a coordinated approach to migration and the sharing of relevant information and good practice. The hosting arrangements for each SMP may differ depending on regional and national structures.

There are 12 SMP partnerships across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The 12 Hong Kong Welcome Hubs were established utilising the existing SMP infrastructure.

Welcome Hubs play an integral role in the delivery of the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme, coordinating the welcome of BN(O) status holders into their new communities with local authorities and VCSEs. The UK Welcome Hubs are providing a range of support based on need and the expected number of arrivals in each area. This may include:

working closely with partners to share resources, review requests for support and, where appropriate, assisting with joint commissioning between areas

commissioning support for those on the BN(O) route where they have identified a need for support that is not being met

communicating and raising awareness of the Department's wider BN(O) Welcome Programme throughout regional networks

providing constructive feedback to the Department on issues and challenges that cannot be resolved locally

acting as a critical friend to the Department facilitating continuous improvement in community cohesion and support for local areas

capturing and sharing aggregated data and intelligence with DLUHC, supporting the Department's work to better understand the volume, destination and needs of BN(O) status holders

acting as a conduit for the sharing of information and evidence between central government, Devolved Governments, local authorities, local partners and the existing SMP network, including regular reporting on the volumes, location, characteristics and needs of BN(O) status holders encountered by their Welcome Hub

The 9 English Welcome Hubs have a role to play in assisting the department in the VCSE regional funding by working with national and regional organisations as they deliver projects to support those on the BN(O) route. The Welcome Hubs in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland work with national VCSE organisations to do this.

Where can I find more information on the Welcome Hubs?

All Welcome Hubs have websites with information on how BN(O)s can access support in their regions. These are as follows:

Why have you weighted funding for Welcome Hubs and VCSE groups?

We know that existing Hong Kong communities are spread throughout the UK, with bigger communities in larger cities. Data suggests that incoming BN(O) status holders are settling in a similar way.

On this basis we have weighted funding against the locations where BN(O) status holders are likely to settle.

Current modelling projects that BN(O)s will continue to settle across the UK, and on this basis each of the 12 Welcome Hubs will receive some level of funding to support BN(O) status holders.

Hubs with the greatest projected demand receive the larger proportion of funding.

Local authorities work closely with the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, what support is available for these organisations and how do they support the BN(O) community?

We know the VCSE sector plays an important role in delivering local services and they have extensive experience in supporting the integration of migrant groups.

As part of the BN(O) Welcome Programme, national and local voluntary, community and social enterprise ( VCSE) groups are being funded to support BN(O) status holders in priority areas of integration, employability, mental health and prevention of hate crime.

Regional VCSE projects in England are delivering local community led projects across the 9 English regions to support Welcome Hub regional priorities. Funding has also been made available for the On Your Side service for BN(O) status holders and others of East and Southeast Asian heritage across the UK, to provide hate crime reporting services, a helpline and website so BN(O) status holders and resident communities feel safe.

Find the full list of VCSE organisations, with information on the support available.

BN(O) arrivals

Do we know where BN(O) status holders settle when they arrive?

Individuals on the BN(O) route can choose to settle in any location across the UK.

We know that existing Hong Kong communities are spread across the UK, with bigger communities in larger cities. Data informing planning assumptions expected that BN(O)s would mostly locate in London, the North West, and South East of England, with regional proportions estimated at 29%, 12% and 11% respectively. Emerging data broadly aligns with this, such as the Department for Education's annual school census.

The Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme is designed to provide support to local areas to manage a range of numbers of arrivals.

Do local authorities have access to real time data to help plan for new arrivals?

We are working across government to bring together available data to inform planning at national and local levels.

As more BN(O) status holders start to arrive in the UK, we are developing a better understanding, from working with local authorities and Welcome Hubs, of where BN(O) status holders are choosing to settle.

Policy specific issues

English language (England only)

English language is an important part of successful integration, what support is available for BN(O) status holders and their family members who can't speak English or require classes?

Guidance issued to local authorities sets out how local authorities can claim for the costs of providing support with English language for BN(O) status holders and their family members who need it.

In 2022/23 funding has also been made available for the VCSE sector to deliver regional, community led projects across the 9 regions of England. A new VCSE competition has been launched for 2023/24. Many of these offer English language support as part of their projects.

Why are BN(O) status holders unable to access the Adult Education Budget (AEB)?

BN(O) status holders and their family members aged 19 and over can access further education training, including English language courses funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) once they meet the published residency criteria, including the 3 years ordinary residency requirement. Education and training will either be fully funded or co-funded depending on the individual's age, prior attainment, and employment circumstances.

No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)

Why do you impose NRPF conditions on migrant visa routes?

It is a well-established principle that migrants coming to the UK should be able to maintain and support themselves and their families without recourse to public funds.

These restrictions are an important plank of immigration policy designed to assure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK, rather than costs to the public purse.

Are BN(O) status holders subject to the NRPF condition?

Those on the BN(O) route have a 'no recourse to public funds' (NRPF) condition attached to their leave. This means they are not able to access benefits and services classed as public funds which are set out in s115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and at paragraph 6 of the Immigration Rules. They do, however, have permission to work and study. Those on the BN(O) route are entitled to access a state funded school for their children if they live in the UK.

Those on the BN(O) route can apply for a change of conditions to have their NRPF condition lifted in the case of destitution or where there is a risk of imminent destitution, a risk to the welfare of a child or if the applicant is experiencing exceptional financial circumstances.

Applicants can apply for a change of conditions if:

the applicant's financial circumstances have changed since being given permission to stay in the UK and they are no longer able to provide food or housing for themselves or their family

the applicant's child is at risk because of their very low income

What is considered destitution in relation to the lifting of NRPF?

In line with other immigration routes across the system that allow for a change of conditions, a person is considered destitute if:

they do not have adequate accommodation or any means of obtaining it (whether or not their other essential living needs are met)

they have adequate accommodation or the means of obtaining it but cannot meet their other essential living needs

They are at risk of destitution if either or both of the above are imminent.

What is the process for BN(O) status holders who need to apply for a change of condition?

Apply using the service: Application for change of conditions of leave to allow access to public funds because your circumstances have changed.

Why can those on the BN(O) route apply to lift this condition when this is not necessarily available to other migrants?

The BN(O) route is a generous offer to BN(O) status holders and their family members which reflects the UK's historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997.

This route was set up following China's passing of the National Security Law. This new law significantly impacts the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Since the situation that BN(O) status holders find themselves in has changed, it is right that their rights and entitlements in the UK change too.

This route will not set a precedent. It is a proportionate response to the situation which has arisen, in order to offer a choice that affords long-term safety and stability for these individuals and their families.

If there is a delay between BN(O) status holders applying to have the NRPF condition lifted, and the application being granted, who will support them?

Local authorities that provide support to BN(O) status holders and their families who are destitute or at risk of destitution can access DLUHC 's targeted support funding.

Proof of status

How can those on the BN(O) route prove their immigration status?

Once a BN(O) visa has been granted, depending on how the application was made, the BN(O) status holder will either be able to view immigration status information online or receive a sticker (called a 'vignette') that goes in their passport.

If a BN(O) status holder has a vignette, they have to collect a biometric residence permit (BRP) after they arrive. They must do this before the vignette sticker expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later.

The BRP will include:

name, date and place of birth

fingerprints and a photo of the status holder's face (this is the biometric information) immigration status and any conditions of the status holder's stay, whether the status holder can access public funds, or whether they can work and study

If the BN(O) status holder applied for the BN(O) route online using the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app to scan their BNO, HKSAR or EEA passport, they will not receive a vignette and will not need to collect a BRP. Instead, they will receive a digital immigration status which they will be able to view online. The BN(O) status holder can also use the View and prove your immigration status online service to share their immigration status information with others, for example, employers or universities.

The online status will show:

name, date and place of birth

immigration status and any conditions of on the status holder's stay

dates the visa is valid (start date and end date)

Do BN(O) status holders need a National Insurance number to start work?

Those on the BN(O) route can look for and start work without a National Insurance number if they can prove they can work in the UK.

BN(O) status holders and their family members can go online at Prove your right to work to an employer which allows them to authorise an employer to access data to prove they have the right to work in the UK.

Employers are required to conduct mandatory Right to Work checks on all prospective employees. Having a National Insurance number is not part of these checks, and the possession of a National Insurance number does not prove that an individual has a right to work.

How can those on the BN(O) route prove their right to work?

Biometric residence permit (BRP) holders can demonstrate a right to work online only. They must go online to Prove your right to work to an employer which allows individuals to generate a 9-character long share code (valid for 90 days) that can be passed on to an employer which, when entered alongside the individual's date of birth, enables employers to access the information. More information on proving a right to work online can be found online in An employer's guide to right to work checks.

If individuals do not have a BRP, they must provide their documents to their employer to carry out a manual right to work check, using a document from the Lists of Acceptable Documents found in Annex A of the employers guide.

Housing (England only)

Some local areas already have difficulties with housing supply, are local authorities expected to provide accommodation to BN(O) status holders?

The BN(O) route is a generous offer for BN(O) status holders and their dependants, who in turn are expected to be self-sufficient and contribute to UK society.

To be eligible for the BN(O) route, applicants must prove they are able to maintain themselves and their families in the UK for 6 months, and in every case, an initial grant of leave will have no recourse to public funds. BN(O) status holders can apply for settled status after 5 years continuous residence in the UK but in the meantime, they are not eligible to access most public funds unless they have applied for a change of conditions. See section No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).

Local authorities may be expected to provide some form of support in managing tenancies, assessing any eligibility for local deposit schemes and understanding rights and entitlements to housing and welfare support, where that may be appropriate. The targeted support funding factors in the potential impacts on homelessness, housing and translation services demands.

Will those on the BN(O) route who have successfully applied to have the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition lifted have access to social housing?

The Housing Act 1996 provides that a local housing authority shall not allocate housing to persons from abroad who are not eligible (section 160ZA(1)(a)).

There are two types of persons from abroad for these purposes:

persons who are subject to immigration control who will not be eligible for an allocation of housing accommodation (social housing) unless they come within a class of person prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State (section 160ZA(2) of the 1996 Act)

other persons from abroad who will be eligible for an allocation of social housing unless they come within a class of person prescribed as ineligible by virtue of regulations made by the Secretary of State under section 160ZA(4)

In June 2021, regulations came into force to ensure that people from Hong Kong who are on the BN(O) route and have their no recourse to public funds condition lifted due to destitution are also eligible for social housing and homelessness assistance.

Employment

The BN(O) route does not require BN(O) status holders to secure a job offer prior to arriving in the UK - does that mean local authorities are expected to support their access to employment?

We know that those on the BN(O) route want to find and secure jobs as soon as they arrive. This guarantees an income and also provides opportunities to integrate into their new communities.

There are many benefits of enabling new migrant arrivals to access employment at their appropriate skill level relatively soon after arrival in the UK, both for their own wellbeing and for the wider community.

Employment support can assist in understanding and navigating the UK job market, transferring existing skills and qualifications, and identifying relevant training and study options.

In some instances, funding for national and local VCSE activity has been used to develop specific employability support for the BN(O) arrivals, dependent on local need.

Where can BN(O)s access employability support?

Some of the UK Welcome Hubs and VCSE organisations are able to support BN(O) status holders and their families with employability coaching and support with CV and interview skills.

Education (England only)

What are you doing about school places?

The children of BN(O) status holders from Hong Kong who settle in the UK have a right to attend school in the UK. Local authorities hold the statutory duty to provide sufficient school places.

Any BN(O) status holders who already live in the UK or who move to live in the UK under the BN(O) route can apply for a school place for their children. Schools are not permitted to refuse any children a place on the grounds of their nationality or immigration status.

The Department for Education is surveying LA admission officers termly to obtain information on where BN(O) status holders are settling and applying for school places, in order to alert pupil place advisers to areas where there may be pressure on school places.

Pupil Place Planning (PPP) advisors have integrated conversations on planning for BN(O) status holders as part of their routine engagement on sufficiency. Pupil planning advisors can be contacted at: Advisers.PPP@education.gov.uk

How can BN(O) families apply for a school place?

Information for BN(O) parents on how to apply for a school place can be found in the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Pack.

What about pre-school aged children?

Information for BN(O) parents on childcare can be found in the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Pack.

Do BN(O) status holders and their family members benefitting from this route have to pay international student fees for higher education?

BN(O) status holders are classified as international students until they complete their pathway to settlement.

To qualify for home fee status in the UK, a person must have settled status or a recognised connection to the UK. There are also requirements associated with ordinary residence in the UK.

Subject to meeting the normal eligibility requirements, BN(O) status holders will be able to qualify for home fee status once they have acquired settled status in the UK. This also applies to any dependants.

Generally, in order to qualify for home fee status and student finance for higher education purposes, a person would need to be settled in the UK and have 3 years ordinary (lawful) residence prior to the first day of their course. For BN(O)s, this means they would need to qualify for settled status (usually after 5 years residence under the Immigration rules) before being eligible to access home fee status and student finance. This is the case for the majority of persons who are on a 5 year route to settlement.

What advice is there on comparability of qualifications obtained in Hong Kong?

Information on comparability of qualifications can be found in the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Pack.

Health care

Do BN(O) status holders have access to health care?

Those on the BN(O) route have access to healthcare free at the point of use on broadly the same basis as British residents, once they have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and their application has been granted.

Resources

We have highlighted resources below that local authorities may find helpful when considering their integration plans. Further resources will be added over time:

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Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) Welcome Programme - information for local authorities

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Information for local authorities and others who are working with British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders arriving from Hong Kong via the UK government's BN(O) route.

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City of London Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

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City of London Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

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Helping Syrian refugees to build new lives in safety in the City of London

Millions of Syrian people and their families have been forced to flee their country with many ending up in United Nations refugee camps with little hope for their families' futures.

At Refugee Action, we're proud that the United Kingdom is accepting up to 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020. Our teams are helping the Syrian refugee families that are going to be living in City of London to settle into their new lives and make connections with their new community so they can rebuild their lives in safety and peace.

Refugee Action has a long history of supporting resettled refugees to begin their new lives in the UK. We have 35 years of experience in helping refugees successfully resettle and participate in their communities in the UK. We will be using that knowledge and care to support new Syrian arrivals to establish safe, stable and peaceful lives in our country.

Who does this service support?

Syrian refugees from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee camps who have been selected for the UK Government Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme in the City of London.

How to contact this service

To find out how you can help resettled Syrian refugees, please read How You Can Help Refugees.

For more information about this service, please contact us.

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City of London Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme - Refugee Action

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Millions of Syrian people and their families have been forced to flee their country with many ending up in United Nations refugee camps with little hope for their families' futures. At Refugee Action, we're proud that the United Kingdom is accepting up to 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020.

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Identifying psychological trauma among Syrian refugee children for early intervention

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Identifying psychological trauma among Syrian refugee children for early intervention

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Analyzing digitized drawings using machine learning

Abstract

Nearly 5.6 million Syrian refugees have been displaced by the country's civil war, of which roughly half are children. A digital analysis of features in children's drawings potentially represents a rapid, cost-effective, and non-invasive method for collecting information about children's mental health. Using data collected from free drawings and self-portraits from 2480 Syrian refugee children in Jordan across two distinct datasets. We use the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) machine-learning techniques to understand the relationship between psychological trauma among refugee children and digitally coded features of their drawings. We find that children's drawing features retained using LASSO are consistent with historical correlations found between specific drawing features and psychological distress in clinical settings. We then use drawing features within LASSO to predict exposure to violence and refugee integration into host countries, with findings consistent with anticipated associations. Results serve as a proof-of-concept for the potential use of children's drawings as a diagnostic tool in human crisis settings.

This is an output of the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) programme

Citation

Baird, S., Panlilio, R., Seager, J., Smith, S. and Wydick, B. (2022) 'Identifying psychological trauma among Syrian refugee children for early intervention: Analyzing digitized drawings using machine learning' Journal of Development Economics 156: 102822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2022.102822.
Identifying psychological trauma among Syrian refugee children for early intervention: Analyzing digitized drawings using machine learning

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Identifying psychological trauma among Syrian refugee children for early intervention

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Advice and guidance for schools

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If your school, academy, multi-academy trust or local authority have welcomed or are currently welcoming newly arrived pupils and families from Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Ukraine, you may probably be wondering how best to support them as they settle into life in the UK, our education system, and your setting.

In order to provide useful information and practical guidance to help ensure a smooth induction period for these learners and their families, The Bell Foundation held a panel webinar on February 9, in which three experts in refugee education were invited to share their expertise and experiences.

This post - the first in a series of three - summarises the first presentation, given by Refugee Education UK's founding Chief Executive, Catherine Gladwell.

Catherine gave an overview of the kind of educational experiences that refugee children usually experience before they arrive in the UK, and then outlined some of the most common educational challenges that they face when they enter the British education system.

Prior educational experiences

With regard to refugee children's education prior to their arrival in the UK, Catherine mentioned that it would have taken place in one or more of three possible locations: (1) in their own country of origin, before they had to flee; (2) in a refugee camp; and/or (3) on the move, as they travelled to the UK.

She then identified three salient features that are typical of refugee children's previous experiences of education. These features are important for schools to be aware of as they support newly arrived children while they adjust to an unfamiliar educational environment:

1. Disruption - Catherine explained that children's education has almost always been disrupted in some way, either because they come from a context where they had been affected by broad low enrolment and completion rates in education, or because of conflict impacting their ability to attend school.

2. Absence - Often children will have had long periods out of education due to school closures prior to fleeing, or simply because it would not have been safe to attend school.

3. Informality - Informal, sporadic and often unaccredited education often takes place in camps, where children can stay for years before arriving in the UK.

Key challenges

Catherine then moved on to outline the key challenges that may affect refugee children's education in the UK. These challenges emerged from research and years of casework experience. She divided these challenges into those that were connected to wellbeing and those that were more academic in nature but stressed that these categories are interlinked and overlapping.

Among the wellbeing challenges, Catherine mentioned the following:

1. Traumatic or distressing experiences in their country of origin, which may have been going on for many years prior to fleeing.

2. Traumatic experiences on arrival in the UK, such as being confined to emergency hotel accommodation, or having to navigate a hostile asylum system.

3. Significant grief and anxiety resulting from loss.

4. Isolation and loneliness in the UK.

Especially when children have witnessed serious violence or experienced trauma, these challenges can manifest themselves in the classroom as fight or flight responses and extreme behaviour (such as anger, hitting and pushing), and complaints of physical pains, triggered by seemingly relatively insignificant stressors. Flight responses may include distance, withdrawal and disconnection - for example, children unwilling to interact with others. Another frequent visible reaction is reduced concentration and focus in the classroom, with children being easily startled, distracted or finding certain noises or situations triggering. As refugee children often battle with insomnia, their inability to sleep well at night can leave them tired and sleepy during the school day. Practitioners also see distress when something triggers a child. In such cases, they become visibly upset in the classroom or playground.

Catherine highlighted that while these challenges are real and need to be addressed, she and her colleagues have witnessed a remarkable resilience, determination and a sense of hope in these children and recommended an asset-based approach to working with young refugees.

Regarding academic challenges, Catherine identified the three most visible in the classroom:

1. The language barrier and insufficient EAL support in many schools to meet their language learning needs. In addition to this, and particularly in secondary schools, the structure of GCSE programmes and language acquisition alongside that makes it hard for children to achieve their potential.

2. Differences in teaching styles between the countries of origin and the UK - the need to adapt to a new curriculum and different teachers' teaching styles take up much of children's energy, which means that they have less energy left for learning itself.

3. Difficulties diagnosing and addressing SEND - it is often more difficult to both diagnose and address special educational needs and disabilities when children have EAL and existing trauma.

She also outlined the following three factors that affect academic outcomes outside of the classroom:

1. Inappropriate environments for home study- access to the internet and to computers is still very limited for many families, with some still in bridging accommodation in hotels with a lot of disruptions. Even after they move to permanent accommodation, internet access, as well as overcrowding, remain problematic.

2. Lack of parental support or engagement - this is likely not out of reluctance or devaluing of education on the part of the parents, but it is likely to be caused by the challenges that parents themselves are facing, including their own language barriers, having to look after other children and their own adjustment and sense of dislocation.

3. Possible poverty- affects transportation to school, nutrition, the ability to purchase uniforms and equipment and participation in extracurricular activities.

During the last part of her presentation, Catherine outlined REUK 's programmatic activity. REUK is a charity which helps refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people get into and thrive in education, from primary school to university. It offers practical in-person and online support programmes, research and advocacy to influence structural change, and training and resources for schools, Further Education colleges and universities. REUK's in-person programmes currently run across London, Oxford, West Midlands (in Birmingham, with emerging work in Coventry and Warwick), Cambridge and Peterborough.

For information about REUK's training, visit reuk.org/welcome or reuk.org/training , or contact hello@reuk.org.

Finally, Catherine recommended the following organisations and professionals during the question time following her presentation:

Trauma Informed Schools UK https://www.traumainformedschools.co.uk/ An organisation that provides training for schools, communities and other organisations so that they become trauma informed and mentally healthy places, thus helping children and teenagers BEFORE they get mental health problems.

Barnardo's free Boloh helpline - 0800 151 2605. Originally developed during the early days of the pandemic, the Boloh Helpline offers advice, signposting, emotional support and free therapy to adult asylum seekers UK Wide in English, Pashto, Dari, Arabic, Punjabi, Mirpuri, Luganda, Ruyankole, Rukiga, Rutooro and Kinyarwanda.

Prof Mina Fazel, Professor of Adolescent Psychiatry, Oxford University Mina Fazel - Department of Psychiatry (ox.ac.uk). Prof Fazel's research focuses on how to improve access to mental health interventions for children and adolescents, with a particular interest in school-based mental health interventions.

If you would like to watch Catherine's presentation, visit Welcoming Refugee Children: Advice and Guidance for Schools (Webinar) - YouTube. You might also wish to download the free guidance produced by The Bell Foundation Welcoming refugee and asylum seeking learners (bell-foundation.org.uk).

There are two more blogposts in the series: post two and post three.

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Welcoming Refugee Children: Advice and Guidance for Schools 1 - The Bell Foundation

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If your school, academy, multi-academy trust or local authority have welcomed or are currently welcoming newly arrived pupils and families from Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Ukraine, you may probably be wondering how best to support them as they settle into life in the UK, our education system, and your setting.

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Ukrainian language - videos to help learners and their hosts

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Ukrainian language - videos to help learners and their hosts

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How to count in Ukrainian, an East Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine.

If any of the numbers are links, you can hear a recording by clicking on them. If you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Notes

The ordinal numbers are shown in their masculine form. In the feminine form the ий/ій ending changes to а/я, and in the neuter form it becomes е/є.

Hear some Ukrainian numbers:

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about counting in Ukrainian
http://mylanguages.org/ukrainian_numbers.php
https://www.ukrainianlessons.com/numbers/

Information about Ukrainian | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel | Learning materials

Numbers in Slavic languages

Numbers in other languages

Alphabetical index | Language family index

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How to count in Ukrainian, an East Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. If any of the numbers are links, you can hear a recording by clicking on them. If you can provide recordings, please contact me. The ordinal numbers are shown in their masculine form.

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Working with parents to support the learning of pupils who use EAL: Guidance for schools - Chinese version

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Working with parents to support the learning of pupils who use EAL: Guidance for schools - Chinese version

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From the Bell Foundation

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Blog - Refugee Integration – The Importance of ESOL

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Blog - Refugee Integration – The Importance of ESOL

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The Bell Foundation

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In this blog, Diana Sutton from The Bell Foundation considers the importance of ESOL for supporting new arrivals into the UK, following the publication of the final evaluation of the Wellbeing and Work for Refugee Integration project.

Recently, refugees from locations such as Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Ukraine, have been welcomed across the UK - individuals forced to leave their home countries, often in dangerous and traumatic circumstances, in search of safety and security.

For many new arrivals into the UK, their journey is far from over. Faced with an unfamiliar culture, system, and for many, language, how to integrate, find work, and settle in the UK is an important next step. It is, therefore, key that support is made available to make this process as smooth as possible.

This is a main finding from the evaluation of the Wellbeing and Work for Refugee Integration (WW4RI) project, published in September with funding from The Bell Foundation.

The WW4RI project, led by the East of England Local Government Association's Strategic Migration Partnership, provides support to refugees across three strands. These include employment, wellbeing, and language and skills, which we will focus on here.

The project demonstrates the importance of tailored support. Firstly, for improving mental health and wellbeing, key to helping refugees move forward with their lives. As a result of the support they received, including access to a therapist, participants reported improvements in areas such as anxiety, unwanted memories and difficulties sleeping. Also, for achieving positive employment outcomes, and ultimately, for enabling the successful integration of refugees.

ESOL is a critical enabler

As the WW4RI project shows, language support or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a critical enabler. It is key to boosting confidence, to facilitating everyday tasks, and a tool through which speakers of English as second or additional language (ESL) can achieve their personal and professional aspirations.

Following the ESOL support provided by WW4RI, almost three-quarters[1] of participants reported that their English proficiency had improved, with an average increase in rated language skills of 63%. This not only contributed to increased confidence and feelings of independence amongst participants, they were also able to build 'social bridges'[2] with their local communities and establish vital links with institutions, including in education and healthcare.

One participant commented that:
"Speaking English has really helped. I can now communicate fully with others and do things on my own. I can go shopping. I am more confident and do whatever I need to do."
Another participant stated that:
"I have been making friends from the course, with two or three people from Afghanistan. I now attend a football club, so I make many friends there from all backgrounds, the (ESOL) courses also helped me with this."
ESOL, for many, is a vital stepping-stone towards obtaining employment or progressing in education. Indeed, many participants reported that their employment skills had been enhanced by participation in the project and the language support it provided.

The provision of sector-specific ESOL is key

A key aspect of the WW4RI project is the provision of sector-specific ESOL, offering classes like 'Preparing to Work in Childcare', and 'Preparing to Work in Customer Services'. The aim is to provide participants with the vocabulary needed to work in these settings, which may not be covered in more generic ESOL.

Speaking about the sector-specific ESOL courses, one participant commented:
"I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own, it was integral to allow me to get onto the English course and I wouldn't have been able to start the work placement in an area which I have experience in and want to be in - working with children."
This was found to be an effective approach by both participants and employers. The recommendations from the evaluation suggest that this could be expanded to other sectors. This is alongside the introduction of other more focused courses, on topics such as UK culture, employment, and systems, to support those who may experience 'culture shock'.

Funding remains a considerable challenge

New arrivals to the UK are a heterogenous group, bringing diverse skills, knowledge, and experience, often in highly skilled professions. During the evaluation period for WW4RI, there were, for example, arrivals from Afghanistan and Ukraine qualified in areas like nursing and engineering.

At a time of chronic skills and labour shortages, this has huge - and all too often, untapped - benefits for the UK labour market, economy, and wider society, and ESOL is key to unlocking them.

Within Government, there is a strong focus on skills and training leading to employment, with employment seen as a key outcome for integration by the Home Office. Nevertheless, funding for ESOL continues to be a considerable challenge, with the landscape of support currently greatly fragmented. Since 2010, there has been a 50% reduction in the Adult Education Budget, which was devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities in 2019. According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, even with the pledge to spend £900 million by 2024/25, total spending on adult education will still be 25% lower than in 2010-11.[3]

As a result, many refugees face barriers in accessing ESOL courses. This includes long waiting lists or courses not being at the right level, preventing learners from progressing up through the ESOL levels or not finding a course to improve on their existing proficiency. Indeed, the WW4RI report highlights the current need for language courses aimed at those with lower levels of English.

Overall, the findings from the WW4RI project provide valuable insights into the needs and experiences of new arrivals into the UK, with potential to shape the effective support of refugees across the UK. It also adds to the growing evidence base demonstrating the importance of ESOL for refugee integration, the life-changing impact this can have for speakers of ESL, and the wider benefits this can bring for the UK as a whole.

The findings from the WW4RI report will now feed into the development of a comprehensive framework for refugee resettlement and integration, which will be rolled out across the East of England region.

Find out more
Read the WW4RI final report Find out about the Foundation's ESOL Programme Sign up to receive updates on the ESOL Programme
[1] 72% of participants reported that their English proficiency had improved.

[2] Indicators of Integration Framework, UK Home Office (2019).

[3] Institute of Fiscal Studies (2022) https://ifs.org.uk/publications/adult-education-past-present-and-future

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Refugee Integration - The Importance of ESOL

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In this blog, Diana Sutton from The Bell Foundation considers the importance of ESOL for supporting new arrivals into the UK, following the publication of the final evaluation of the Wellbeing and Work for Refugee Integration project.

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What are some of the challenges faced by refugees? Find out and then create a refugee board game to play with your family.

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What are some of the challenges faced by refugees? Find out and then create a refugee board game to play with your family.

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Refugee Board Game Youth Activity - DreamBigAtHome - Woodcraft Folk

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What are some of the challenges faced by refugees? Find out and then create a refugee board game to play with your family.

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Playing this board game will challenge your ideas about refugees

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Playing this board game will challenge your ideas about refugees

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When immigrants come to Canada, they have to quickly adapt and they have much to learn. Many of them need to learn a new language and a new culture.

The Canadian government defines integration as a two-way street. Newcomers strengthen the Canadian economy by bringing diverse perspectives which can lead to better workplace outcomes, innovation and strong community connections.

As an educator working with newcomers for the past decade, I have seen a need not just for newcomer education (such as language classes, settlement services and community orientation) but also for formal and informal education for the Canadians who make up the welcoming group.

The need for education tools

Front-line workers have some effective tools that serve to educate Canadians about our diversity: things like the "privilege walk," which aims to demonstrate our varying degrees of privilege based on our identities. We also have poverty simulations and forced migration simulations.

Yet none of these address experiences of integration. We have some methods to help volunteers understand refugee newcomers, but they tend to focus on their journey to the refugee camp, or on sponsorship to Canada. So far, the education has ended there.

(Michelle Lam), Author provided (No reuse)

I wanted to build a tool that would help existing residents of Canada and volunteers at newcomer centres understand what it feels like to enter a new country and to try to build a life.

I envisioned a tool that could explore integration in a way that would be engaging, practical and portable. I wanted the tool to help foster deep discussion and to bring relevant research on refugees and integration into an accessible sphere. So as part of a research project in my doctoral program at the University of Manitoba I developed and launched a board game. My goal is to be able to work with future educators who will be able to examine their own identities, privilege or lack thereof, and motivations for becoming teachers.

I hope this game, called Refugee Journeys: Identity, Intersectionality and Integration, will help to foster a deep appreciation for diversity and a nuanced understanding of how identity shapes the practice of both teachers and front-line volunteers.

Combating prejudice

Canadian and western attitudes and policies to newcomers can be prejudiced.

In a study of Canadian media coverage of Syrian refugees, we learned that Canadians tend to view refugees as needy and themselves as generous. This simplistic view fails to recognize the diversity of human experiences and the resilience and strength that newcomers can bring.

For example, we hear things like how all refugees should be eternally grateful. Ideas like this paint all refugees as monolithic. Rather, we should view them as complex human beings with a full range of emotion.

(Michelle Lam)

We've all heard stories of newcomers who get stuck in "entry-level" employment despite coming to the country with high levels of background expertise. In a recent panel interview, Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi called this the great " bait-and-switch " of the Canadian immigration system.

I saw this paternalistic attitude in my classrooms and community work. Some examples are the extra loud and slow speech of language helpers, the unnecessary explanations of everyday activities, the comments about how lucky they are just to be in Canada and the insistence on learning about "Canadian experiences" like hockey, Tim Horton's and tobogganing.

I began to wish I could become an educator not just of newcomers, but of mainstream Canadians as well. Power, place and belonging are not easy concepts to challenge.

Developing the game

The game, Refugee Journeys, which was created with the help of designer Rob Gosselin, is based on the theory of intersectionality, and looks at the intersections of race and gender and how one can be discriminated against in multiple and intersecting areas.

The ideas of intersectionality have now expanded into ideas about how the marginalization of particular groups is multifaceted and based on connections between many identity markers, layers of systemic discrimination and sociopolitical forces.

Michelle Lam, Author provided (No reuse)

As I developed the game, I drew from the work of many scholars, including sociologists: Floya Anthias, who writes about the complexity of identity and belonging; Victoria Esses, who analyzes both the dehumanization and resistance of refugees in Canada; and Michael Apple, who calls on educators and policy-makers to consider the unforeseen consequences of their actions on those with the least amount of power.

Playing the game

To play the game, each player is given an identity card, which details different aspects of their identity. Once you have your "game identity," you are ready to go.

As you progress through the game, at different places your identity becomes a factor in your integration pathway. If you are Muslim in the game, you move back two spaces.

These experiences highlight systemic discrimination and they are incredibly frustrating, especially if you are using a card that highlights a very different identity than your usual one.

As you play the game, you pick up different experience cards, drawn from a variety of sources: Academic literature, news articles and personal experience. The game progresses like this: You move forward and backward, or miss a turn, depending on the cards that you draw. This experience highlights the individual nature of integration, and in so doing asks players to understand what it feels like to go through such experiences.

After each experience card is played, players have a discussion guided by questions on the board. The questions allow for deep engagement, including a question about personal experiences.

(Michelle Lam), Author provided (No reuse)

Since players can choose which questions they wish to discuss, sharing personal experiences is not mandatory. It is an option to share if you wish.

The game has been used with high school students, university students studying to be teachers and with graduate level students at both OISE (Ontario Institute for the Study of Education) and the University of Manitoba.

The next steps include working with refugee sponsoring groups, settlement service providers and teachers who work with newcomers as part of their diversity training. I plan to develop a website for the game, and to build an option for collaboration so people can use this game as a framework or template, and then add their own experiences or relevant research to be incorporated into future versions.

After one game, a player summed it up nicely: "Refugee experiences are very diverse and we can't paint them with one brush. The game encompasses the values of empathy and social consciousness."

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Playing this board game will challenge your ideas about refugees

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When immigrants come to Canada, they have to quickly adapt and they have much to learn. Many of them need to learn a new language and a new culture. The Canadian government defines integration as a two-way street. Newcomers strengthen the Canadian economy by bringing diverse perspectives which can lead to better workplace outcomes, innovation and strong community connections.

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This game was adapted from a preexisting game created by La Cimade, a French NGO in 2007, called “Parcours de migrants” [Paths of migrants], by a joint WAGGGS and WOSM working group on “Human Rights and Refugees”, believing that if you want to get active, getting informed is the first step before taking action. It aims at raising awareness about migration and asylum seeking in Europe and in the world nowadays.

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The 15th European Guide and Scout Conference has requested the European Regions of WAGGGS and WOSM to support and connect the Member Organisations (MOs) and National Scout Organizations (NSOs) in playing an active role in the current migrant and refugee situation in Europe.

This game was adapted from a preexisting game created by La Cimade, a French NGO in 2007, called "Parcours de migrants" [Paths of migrants], by a joint WAGGGS and WOSM working group on " Human Rights and Refugees ", believing that if you want to get active, getting informed is the first step before taking action. It aims at raising awareness about migration and asylum seeking in Europe and in the world nowadays.

The board game represents the path of a migrant fleeing from their country, trying to reach Europe to (re)built their life there.
Find out more about our work to support refugees

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The 15th European Guide and Scout Conference has requested the European Regions of WAGGGS and WOSM to support and connect the Member Organisations (MOs) and National Scout Organizations (NSOs) in playing an active role in the current migrant and refugee situation in Europe.

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Safe Place Ludo explores the difficult journeys made by people fleeing conflict. The game is suitable for primary and secondary school pupils.

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For the past few years, news headlines have been dominated by stories of conflict and the people who are fleeing from fighting and seeking refuge.

There has also been lots of debate about what the political response should be to the refugee crisis in Europe and beyond. Christian Aid believes that all people, including refugees, should be safe and looked-after.

We've produced resources to help your pupils understand more about choices and challenges facing people making difficult journeys in search of a safe place and to empathise with the situation currently facing many refugees.

Find our resources in English and Welsh below, as well as two videos you may find helpful.

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For the past few years, news headlines have been dominated by stories of conflict and the people who are fleeing from fighting and seeking refuge. There has also been lots of debate about what the political response should be to the refugee crisis in Europe and beyond.

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Borderlines is about the plight of Syrian refugees. Since 2011, the refugee crisis has become one of the biggest issues in the world. Thousands of refugees are coming to Europe.

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Borderlines is about the plight of Syrian refugees. Since 2011, the refugee crisis has become one of the biggest issues in the world. Thousands of refugees are coming to Europe.

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Adults at risk in immigration detention: modern slavery

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Adults at risk in immigration detention: modern slavery

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Detention Services Order 03/2022 about the care and management of potential and confirmed victims of modern slavery in detention.

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This Detention Services Order provides operational guidance for all Home Office, centre supplier and healthcare staff working in immigration removal centres (IRC), pre-departure accommodation (PDA) and residential short-term holding facilities (RSTHFs) and escorting staff.

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Adults at risk in immigration detention: modern slavery

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Free English course for beginner Learners (Futurelearn)

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Free English course for beginner Learners (Futurelearn)

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Unable to play video. Please enable JavaScript or consider upgrading your browser.

Hello and welcome to this English language MOOC developed for elementary learners by King's College London. In this MOOC you will learn language for everyday situations. You'll become more confident in understanding and talking in English. Each week you will listen, read and write answers, fill in the gap, click a button, or listen and repeat what you hear. You can also reply to each other in the comments section. This course will help you use English in everyday situations and help you practice what you have learned. You will hear people describing each other's personalities, their jobs, where they live, what they do in their spare time, and how they are feeling. Some of the people you will meet are at university.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

Identify language used in everyday situations, such as studying, communicating with classmates, and talking about work

Develop confidence in key language items useful in a range of different scenarios

Apply language skills for everyday conversations

Demonstrate understanding of relevant language that can help the learner progress along the path to studying at a university

Endorsers and supporters

supported by

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Basic English - Online Language Course - FutureLearn

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Start learning English online today with this free introductory course from King's College London created for refugees and displaced people.

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The Bell Foundation Blog: How to support Afghan refugee children in schools

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The Bell Foundation Blog: How to support Afghan refugee children in schools

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This post is a summary of a recent webinar, hosted by The Bell Foundation and presented by the charity Refugee Education UK, which gave guidance and practical strategies to teachers on how to support Afghan refugee children in schools.

Key sections in this article:

The webinar hosted by The Bell Foundation was presented by Katie Barringer, Head of Educational Progression at Refugee Education UK (REUK) and her colleagues, Hamid Khan, Education and Welcome Project Officer, and Ehsan Habibi, Further Education Project Co-ordinator.

REUK is a UK charity that equips young refugees to build positive futures by thriving in education. REUK has built up extensive Afghan-specific experience, including supporting Afghan refugees in the UK, monitoring and analysing outcomes for returned young people in Kabul, and doing research for the UN on the links between education and integration for young Afghan refugees.

Katie began with an overview of the displacement and educational experiences that Afghan children are likely to have had before reaching the UK. Next, she identified the most common wellbeing and educational challenges that Afghan children face in the UK. She outlined strategies that teachers can employ to welcome and support their new learners, and she provided information about additional support and resources that teachers can access.

What are Afghan children likely to have experienced before reaching the UK?

1. Displacement

Recent events in Afghanistan led to a very rapid, unprepared, and traumatic displacement experience for many Afghan families. For some, this displacement has come on top of decades of hardship. Their dramatic uprooting has caused some refugees to experience acute psychosocial and health challenges. Once in the UK, families have been housed in bridging hotels, where many still remain. Resettlement plans are uncertain, so teachers can expect a lot of movement of children between schools as their families are resettled or find alternative accommodation.

2. Education

Research has shown that school attendance and completion rates in Afghanistan are relatively low, particularly for girls, and particularly at secondary level. Schooling in Afghanistan has three key characteristics:

Afghan schools have single sex classrooms, so children may feel some discomfort in mixed classrooms.

Afghan schools have a shorter school day, so children might find long days here tiring.

Afghan schooling has a teacher-centred pedagogy, based on rote learning and memorising, so children may feel unprepared to participate in discussions or to express their ideas and opinions.

These features mean that adjustments to UK schooling are difficult, and to illustrate this, Katie shared a contribution from a young refugee, Salma, who came to the UK in Year 10 and is now at university. Salma urged her audience to give young Afghan refugees time to find their voice, to harness their thoughts, and to develop their many talents. Salma's success in education highlights the potential that refugee children have for high attainment.

What are the common challenges Afghan refugee children experience in UK schooling?

Katie identified two types of challenges - academic and wellbeing - and stressed that these overlap and interact with each other.

1. Wellbeing challenges

Four key experiences help to explain the behaviours that Afghan refugee children might exhibit:

Trauma and distress from the past, for some going back many years;

Trauma of the present: the destabilising effects of being in a new country and living in a hotel indefinitely with no sense of a settled future;

Grief for what they have lost and anxiety over those they have left behind;

Isolation and loneliness as they struggle to adapt to a new country and culture.

Teachers are likely to see the following behaviours at school:

The fight-or-flight response occurs when previous trauma and related triggers cause reactions that flood the body with adrenaline and shut off the thinking part of the brain, inhibiting the ability to learn. The fight reaction can cause children to lash out at others or to internalise their feelings and report that they feel pain.

The flight mechanism can lead to children becoming withdrawn and disconnected from what is going on around them.

Children can also struggle to concentrate and be distracted easily.

Children will struggle to sleep and be tired, or fall asleep at school, or come to school late.

Children may exhibit visible distress at school.

2. Academic challenges

Katie identified the following challenges that will be visible in the classroom:

Most obvious will be the language barriers and the lack of resources for English as an Additional Language (EAL) support.

Children will be adjusting to a new curriculum and different teaching and learning styles.

Some children will have special education needs and these may be difficult to diagnose and address.

There are challenges outside of the classroom that impact on academic success:

Home environments: Hotel accommodation (but also more permanent homes) may have limited or no internet and computer access, and limited space for completing homework.

Lack of parental support and engagement: Parents may not be able to support their children's learning because of language barriers or stress, for

Poverty: Limited financial resources may impact on nutrition, and the ability to buy uniforms and pay for extracurricular activities.

Despite these challenges, Katie stressed that she and her colleagues see resilience, determination, and a sense of hope as they work with young Afghan refugees.

How can teachers address the challenges Afghan refugee children face?

1. Guiding principles for working with Afghan refugee children in schools

Katie identified five key principles to guide work with Afghan refugee children:

Build trust and have patience. Taking time to do this will help children and their families feel welcome.

Look beyond the behaviour. Solutions to problem behaviour are best sought in collaboration with other staff.

Recognise that language ability is not an indicator of academic ability or talent. Katie stressed that teachers should guard against seeing the struggles a child may have with English as an indication of their academic potential. Many of the children will have academic gifts and other talents in music or art, for example.

Grow children's compassion and world view. Refugee children bring opportunities for building compassion and knowledge about the world among their classmates.

Recognise resilience and adopt an assets-based approach. Refugee children bring value to schools, for example by raising aspirations in the whole student body. In addition, they are multilingual and have linguistic resources in the languages they know that teachers can use as a foundation for their learning of English and learning through English.

With these principles in mind, Katie set out practical approaches, while stressing that teachers will need to tailor these approaches to fit their own context.

2. Practical approaches for supporting Afghan refugee children in schools

Strategies to cope with children in the fight-or-flight response:

Maintain calm, use a gentle voice, and move slowly.

Create a safe place, like a quiet room, where the child can recover.

Set simple manageable tasks that help to settle anxiety.

Strategies to help children adjust, by making sure they can be heard:

Move to a quiet space and listen carefully so that the child can feel they are heard.

If the demands on the teacher are too great, make use of referrals to other staff, such as the safeguarding officer or to outside services if a child has shared information that needs to be acted upon.

Katie advised teachers to be aware of topics that children might find too upsetting to talk about, that might trigger anxiety, such as their trip to the UK, or their family in Afghanistan, about whom they may be very worried, for example.

3. Practical interventions for supporting children

Peer support: As Katie explained, research has shown that peer support strategies, such as 'buddy systems', can help refugee children to settle in their new school environments. For Afghan children, buddies should ideally be of the same sex, speak a similar language, and most importantly be welcoming.

Period of adjustment: New children will need to know and understand the school and classroom rules, they will need information about key aspects of the school day, such as the timetable, the register, and what clothes or kit need to be worn at what times, and they will need to understand the school's expectations regarding behaviour. Teacher and classroom changes should be kept to a minimum and families should be informed of upcoming events and outings. Ehsan explained that older children who have had little or no schooling will need a period of grace as they learn to concentrate for longer periods. He suggested that teachers find out what their pupils are interested in to help connect them to learning and added a reminder that all children have background knowledge that teachers can draw on.

Pastoral care: Children should know who they can turn to if they need help and be linked to a school counsellor, or other support staff member, or to an external provider if necessary.

Welcome and inclusion: Creating an inclusive environment also means being aware of cultural and religious priorities, such as recognising Islamic holidays and providing halal food. Schools can enhance their messages of welcome by having signs and messages in Pashto and Dari, the two main languages of Afghanistan, and teachers should strive to pronounce children's names accurately. Photographs in the classroom of the previous Afghan flag, and of historical sites such as the Buddhas of Bamiyan and the Darul Aman Palace will help to comfort and welcome.

Language support: Language is a key pillar of refugee children's welcome and educational support. The Bell Foundation provides extensive support in the form of courses and other resources for teachers who work with children who use EAL (see the links below), as does NALDIC, the national subject association for EAL. Teachers can set up lunch or after-school groups for refugee children to participate in and draw on members of the local refugee community to support classroom work, including translating.

Extra academic support: REUK runs a mentorship programme in London, the West Midlands, East of England, and Oxford, with children aged 14-plus, who receive help with their homework. There are similar projects run by other organisations in other parts of the country.

4. Practical interventions for supporting parents

Language support: Pashto and Dari speakers, who speak good English, could be approached to assist at parents' evenings. Teachers can use Google Translate on a tablet during a meeting with parents and arrange for newsletters and messages to parents to be translated. This will help families to feel seen, included, and valued in the school community.

Helping families adjust: Organising a tour of the school for new families, with translation, and making sure that families understand the new and unfamiliar aspects of UK education, including its compulsory nature, will help to ease the difficulties of the transition. The Bell Foundation provides an 'About the English Education System' guidance document which is available in 22 languages including Dari and Pashto (see the links below). Schools could help families to fit in socially by connecting them with others in the community, and giving them information about helpful social groups, like mother and toddler groups.

Technology support: Refugee families are likely to struggle with the various digital platforms that schools use to communicate information, so sessions to offer basic skills such as how to log on will be necessary.

Signposting to further support: Teachers and schools are not alone in their efforts to welcome and support refugee children and their families, and schools can point families in the direction of other organisations who do work with refugees, for additional help and guidance.

A note on self-care

Katie reminded the audience that working with refugee children, especially those who have experienced trauma, can be emotionally draining. She urged teachers to look after their own wellbeing, to recognise the warning signs of the strain of experiencing vicarious trauma, and to take steps to access support from others.

What further information and training can teachers draw on?

REUK offers the following:

Training;

Resources in Pashto and Dari, and Ukrainian, for teachers and young people;

Hello apps, for general enquiries;

A welcome team for newly arrived Afghan and Ukrainian refugees.

Teachers can follow REUK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter. Access their website here: Refugee Education UK | Home | London (reuk.org).

The Bell Foundation offers the following:

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How to support Afghan refugee children in schools

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This post is a summary of a recent webinar, hosted by The Bell Foundation and presented by the charity Refugee Education UK, which gave guidance and practical strategies to teachers on how to support Afghan refugee children in schools.

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Free download from Learning Village

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welcoming learners for Ukraine (children EAL resource)

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Working with parents to support the learning of pupils who use EAL: Guidance for schools Ukrainian version

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Working with parents to support the learning of pupils who use EAL: Guidance for schools Ukrainian version

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From the Bell Foundation

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Working with parents to support the learning of pupils who use EAL: Guidance for schools - Pashto version

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Working with parents to support the learning of pupils who use EAL: Guidance for schools - Pashto version

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From the Bell Foundation

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Activity - Seeking safety Amnesty International Primary 7 plus (1)

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Welcome asylum seekers and refugees into your school

This adult guidance pack looks at different ways to welcome asylum seekers and refugees into your school community. It will be particularly useful for EAL Leads, teachers of EAL students or Senior Leadership Teams who are preparing to welcome students from refugees or asylum seeker students.

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How do I get to university? Refugees and Asylum Seekers

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How do I get to university? Refugees and Asylum Seekers

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Video produced by Perspective Pictures in collaboration with the University of Sussex. Any queries to advice@reuk.org!

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How do I get to university? Refugees and Asylum Seekers

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For teaching children /Mandarin resources

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For teaching children /Mandarin resources

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https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/new-starter-eal-inclusion-teaching-resources/dual-language-inclusion-teaching-resources/mandarin-chinese-dual-language-inclusion-teaching-resources

https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/programme/eal-programme/

https://www.naldic.org.uk/eal-initial-teacher-education/resources/eal-in-mainstream/

https://www.learningvillage.net/free_resources

https://www.eslkidstuff.com/

https://www.emasuk.com/product/resources-chinese-mandarin-to-english-primary-eal-dual-language-book

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Thousands of FREE teaching resources to download

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Suggest a Resource! You want it? We'll make it

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Mandarin Chinese - Dual Language - New Starter - EAL -Twinkl

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Checkout our range of English/Mandarin Chinese resources.

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The RefugEAP Network’s overarching objective is to facilitate the development and implementation of ‘pathway to Higher Education’ English language provision for refugee-background students (RBS), with a particular focus on English for Academic Purposes (EAP).

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The RefugEAP Network’s overarching objective is to facilitate the development and implementation of ‘pathway to Higher Education’ English language provision for refugee-background students (RBS), w…

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Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the REFUGEAP-NETWORK List

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Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the REFUGEAP-NETWORK List

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JISCMail - Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the REFUGEAP-NETWORK List

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Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

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ESOL for Refugees - A Toolkit for commissioners and practitioners.

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ESOL for Refugees - A Toolkit for commissioners and practitioners.

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Resources for learning English for new arrivals

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Resources for learning English for new arrivals

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Reading resources, information booklets, wellbeing cards, translated resources in 13+ languages.

Contact: jos@brighpathfutures.com

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Bright Path Futures – Freely sharing first language learning and wellbeing resources for people wanting to communicate in English

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English language support for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants

The project helps refugees and asylum seekers gain the English language skills they need in order to integrate into their new communities and access mainstream education and jobs while also allowing University students to gain teaching experience.

Apart from the English classes, the project also develops language learning materials for refugees and migrants, which are freely available in our Materials section.

2021 | Copyright by The English Hub for Refugees

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The project helps refugees and asylum seekers gain the English language skills they need in order to integrate into their new communities and access mainstream education and jobs while also allowing University students to gain teaching experience.Apart from the English classes, the project also develops language learning materials for refugees and migrants, which are freely available in our Materials section.

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ESOL briefing for Community Sponsorship groups

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ESOL briefing for Community Sponsorship groups

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This downloadable resource contains detailed information on the types of English classes available, the key issues for Community Sponsorship groups when supporting refugees to access English classes, and advice on how your group can support language learning.

https://training-resetuk.org/language/esol-group-leaders-detailed/

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Language for Resilience - A handbook for teachers of refugees (British Council).

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Language for Resilience - A handbook for teachers of refugees (British Council).

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What is suitable and Effective ESOL for Refugees? A Literature review.

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What is suitable and Effective ESOL for Refugees? A Literature review.

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Professional bodies and supporting highly-skilled refugees into employment.

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Professional bodies and supporting highly-skilled refugees into employment.

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Refugees may be highly qualified and experienced professionals, yet many remain unemployed or under employed, in a lower-grade occupation than their skills merit. This has consequences for these individuals, but also the UK economy where there are many areas of skills shortage. Mainstream employment and refugee support organisations lack the specialised knowledge to help these individuals, knowledge which is the basis of professional bodies and their members.

This project sought to produce a research-informed review of the policies and activities of professional bodies to support refugees into employment in their disciplines, to understand current issues, barriers, and provision, and to provide recommendations to assist professional bodies in developing their practice. Three approaches were taken:

A scoping review of global literature on highly skilled migrants and professional bodies

A review of websites and relevant activities of a sample of professional bodies in the UK to evaluate some of the support currently available

Interviews and discussions with key informants, including professional body representatives and related organisations, refugee and employment support organisations, and refugees with a professional background themselves

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Professional bodies and supporting highly-skilled refugees into employment

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Refugees may be highly qualified and experienced professionals, yet many remain unemployed or under employed, in a lower-grade occupation than their skills merit. This has consequences for these individuals, but also the UK economy where there are many areas of skills shortage.

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The Unseen app provides a simple guide to recognising the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking, and reporting concerns in confidence. There is also a guide to types of modern slavery, an outline of key legislation, and an explanation of how to contact the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline in 27 languages.

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Unseen app - download the app for a guide to recognising the signs of slavery and reporting to the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline.

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Refugees and migration teaching resources

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Refugees and migration teaching resources

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Use these free teaching materials to promote compassion, informed discussion, and an understanding of the challenges faced by refugees and migrants around the world.

Free teaching resources and lesson plans for Geography, Citizenship and PSHE to help young people challenge assumptions about migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and to develop mutual respect, empathy and understanding.

Get primary and secondary teaching ideas about:

what causes people to leave their homes and what their experiences are like

the meaning of the terms asylum seekers, migrants and refugees

what makes us who we are and how we can understand and celebrate our differences.

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Use these free teaching materials to promote compassion, informed discussion, and an understanding of the challenges faced by refugees and migrants around the world.

Free teaching resources and lesson plans for Geography, Citizenship and PSHE to help young people challenge assumptions about migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and to develop mutual respect, empathy and understanding.

Get primary and secondary teaching ideas about:

what causes people to leave their homes and what their experiences are like

the meaning of the terms asylum seekers, migrants and refugees

what makes us who we are and how we can understand and celebrate our differences.

Empathy plus migration workshop

Book a free Empathy plus migration workshop to help students develop empathy for migrants' moving motives and explore the experience of migration.

For questions or feedback about these resources, contact us at redcrosseducation@redcross.org.uk.

Refugees and migration teaching resources

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Refugees & migration teaching resources | Free humanitarian materials

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Free education resources and activities for teachers to help students learn about the challenges faced by refugees and migrants.

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A Padlet to share info on the Rwanda scheme in a variety of languages.

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A Padlet to share info on the Rwanda scheme in a variety of languages.

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Courtesy of Karen Walford

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Notice of Intent - translated help guides

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Notice of Intent - translated help guides

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Scottish Refugee Council - Rwanda raids advice

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Scottish Refugee Council - Rwanda raids advice

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and in solidarity with everyone affected by the Safety of Rwanda Act.

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act was passed on the 25 th of April 2024. The Act declares Rwanda a safe country and enables the Home Office to consider removing individuals seeking asylum in the UK to Rwanda. Since this law is new, we don't yet know how it will work in practice.

We have put together advice and information for people who may be concerned. We will continue to update this as the situation becomes clearer.

If you are worried, please contact y our solicitor as s oon as possible. If you do not have legal representation, please call our free helpline on 0808 196 7274.
Who is at risk?
Not everyone is at risk of removal to Rwanda. You may be at risk of removal if:

you claimed asylum in the UK on or after 1 January 2022

you are over 18 years old

you don't have any children under the age of 18 with you

your journey is considered as "dangerous", for example in a lorry or a small boat and you passed through another safe country where you could claim asylum

Find out more about who from the Right to Remain blog: What we know about Rwanda Act and Treaty so far.
If you receive a letter from the Home Office about Rwanda or about considering your asylum claim as 'inadmissible' If you have a Home Office reporting event coming up or are worried about being detained:

speak to you r solicitor ab out the letter as soon as you can

if you do not have legal representation, please call our free helpline on 0808 196 7274 if you have questions or need help finding support. Ask for an interpreter if you need one

If you received calls from the Home Office offering you voluntary departure to Rwanda

write down important phone numbers on a piece of paper. These could include your key friends and family, your solicitor and detention support organisations . You can contact on 020 7456 9750 . If you are detained your phone may be taken away

ask to speak to you r solicitor fir st before signing any documents

tell a friend the time and place of your reporting appointment. When you leave the appointment, contact your friend to let them know you are okay

give your friend your solicitor 's phone number. If your friend has not heard from you 2 hours after your reporting appointment time, they sho uld call your solicitor and tell them you may have been detained

take your medications with you if you are taking any

check out Right to Remain information on immigration bail reporting: the basics and be prepared in case you are detained

If an immigration enforcement team comes to your home or work

speak to your solicitor first before you respond

find out more about voluntary departures from the Right to Remain blog on voluntary departures to Rwanda

try to speak to your solicitor as soon as you can

tell your friends what is happening as soon as possible. The side of the van will have the words "Home Office" and "Immigration Enforcement"

You can read more about the asylum Inadmissibility Rules in Right to Remain Toolkit page. You can click the "Select Language" box at the top of any page on the Right to Remain website to automatically translate the text into your own language.

We stand in solidarity with anyone affected by the Rwanda Act. You can read our response here.

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Rwanda Act: Advice for people affected - Scottish Refugee Council

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We stand in solidarity with everyone affected by the Safety of Rwanda Act. The...

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Immigration raids: your rights, and what to do

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Immigration raids: your rights, and what to do

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We have put together this simple blog against the backdrop of an increasingly violent and Hostile Environment towards migrants in the UK. This is particularly important in light of the recently passed Safety of Rwanda Act, and reports that the Home Office is increasing efforts to detain people at risk of removal to Rwanda or who are reporting at Home Office reporting centres.

This blog includes the following information:

What is an immigration raid?

What are your rights during an immigration raid?

What can you do if you see an immigration raid?

Key groups and organisations

What is an immigration raid?

Raids are a tactic used by the Home Office to detain migrants in the UK, to make them feel unwelcome, and to spread fear in the surrounding communities. Raids are a physical embodiment of the UK's Hostile Environment policy towards migrants in the UK.

The Home Office has 19 'raid squads' across the country. These squads are officially called Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) teams. They carry out daily raids, beginning in the early hours of the morning to catch people when they are still sleeping. In recent years, raids on workplaces have been ramped up to crack down on alleged "illegal working".

As the Migrants' Rights Network say,
"Immigration raids are one of the main ways the State intimidates migrant communities and People of Colour. They are a mechanism to implement and enforce borders in everyday life, while turning all of us into immigration enforcement. They create an atmosphere of fear and we will not rest until they stop."
As terrifying as raids are, time and time again community action has shown us that they are not unstoppable. It is incredible what can happen when we stand together in solidarity and with a thorough understanding of our rights.

You can read more about immigration raids on the Anti Raids Network website below.

What are your rights during an immigration raid?

If an ICE team comes to your home or work:

You do NOT have to answer any questions.

You do NOT have to let them in. They can only enter with your consent (this means permission), a warrant (this means permission from police), or assistant director's letter, unless the business is licensed to sell alcohol/late-night food and drink.

Try to LEAVE if you are not under arrest.

Thank you to the Anti Raids Network for this information, the below flyers, and all the work that they do.

What can you do if you see an immigration raid?

If you see a raid, and you are able to assist, you can do the following:

Make sure people know that they do not have to answer questions and can leave

If they do want to leave, walk away with them

Film immigration officers and police. If someone is being detained, check with them first, or only film the officers.

Interact with the officers. Ask why these specific people are being questioned.

SPREAD THE WORD. Tell people around you what's happening, call your friends, contact your local anti-raids group, tweet to @AntiRaids to get the word out to a wider audience.

If someone is detained, share the contact details of detention organisations.

There are Anti Raids groups in:

Many local communities coordinate smaller action groups, too.

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Immigration raids: your rights, and what to do

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We have put together this simple blog against the backdrop of an increasingly violent and Hostile Environment towards migrants in the UK. This is particularly important in light of the recently passed Safety of Rwanda Act, and reports that the Home Office is increasing efforts to detain people at ri

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Read more about this guide on the About page.

Find the information you need for your situation using the contents bar on the left - there's information about asylum cases, human rights cases, and immigration cases. Your situation might fall into more than one of these categories.

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A step-by-step guide to the UK asylum and immigration system The Right to Remain Toolkit is free to use, and it's for people who want to learn more about the legal process, or a particular part of the legal process.