{"id":2016,"date":"2016-10-20T11:42:49","date_gmt":"2016-10-20T10:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/law-news\/?p=2016"},"modified":"2016-11-04T14:06:48","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T14:06:48","slug":"conference-to-explore-challenges-facing-child-refugees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/law-news\/conference-to-explore-challenges-facing-child-refugees\/","title":{"rendered":"Conference to explore challenges facing child refugees"},"content":{"rendered":"

A free one-day conference, jointly sponsored by the\u00a0Migrant and Refugee Children\u2019s Legal Unit<\/a> (MiCLU)\u00a0and Kent Law Clinic<\/a> will be hosted on Kent\u2019s Canterbury campus on Thursday 24 November.<\/p>\n

The conference aims to bring together professionals from a range of sectors including social care, legal, health and education to discuss the challenges they face in meeting the complex care, support and legal needs of unaccompanied and separated children seeking international protection in the UK.<\/p>\n

As well as an opportunity to share knowledge and expertise, attendees will be able to consider what can be achieved in collaboration to meet some of the future challenges posed by the Immigration Acts.<\/p>\n

MiCLU, hosted by Islington Law Centre, is a specialist legal, policy and training hub aimed at upholding and improving the rights of young people.\u00a0Specialist solicitor Sheona York and Research Assistant Richard Warren work with students in Kent Law Clinic’s Immigration and Asylum Team to provide specialist advice and assistance to clients with immigration problems. \u00a0Together they\u00a0published\u00a0a research report in May 2014, How Children Become “Failed Asylum-Seekers<\/a><\/em>, which sought to improve outcomes for children seeking asylum in the UK.<\/p>\n

Sheona said: \u2018The number of displaced children around the world has reached historic levels and according to the latest figures from UNICEF, nearly 50 million children have been \u201cuprooted\u201d worldwide \u2013 with 28 million forcibly displaced by conflict and violence within and across borders. \u00a0Children are fleeing to the EU for protection with little, if any, choice. Last year, Eurostat recorded 88,265 claims for asylum having been lodged by unaccompanied children across the EU, of which only 3.4% (3,045) were in the UK. The UK government has promised to protect more children and yet many continue to arrive on our shores through life-threatening means.\u2019<\/p>\n

Confirmed speakers at the conference, entitled \u2018Child Refugees Welcome? Working together to meet the challenges of the Immigration Acts 2014 & 2016\u2019,\u00a0 include:<\/p>\n