7 March 2017 – Responding to today’s vote on ensuring local authority capacity for refugee children from Europe, Lily Caprani, Deputy Executive Director at Unicef UK, said:

“It’s hugely disappointing that the Government did not listen to the many MPs who wanted the UK to do more for vulnerable refugee children in Europe. Thousands of unaccompanied refugee children have arrived on European shores and now face an uncertain future.

“Without legal schemes to relocate unaccompanied refugee children there’s an ongoing risk of children being pushed into the dangerous path of smugglers and traffickers.

“This crisis is not going away. This country must not turn away from doing its bit to help the most vulnerable. This includes taking urgent action so that children in Greece, Italy and France who have family waiting in the UK can join their relatives.”

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For more information please contact:
Lilly Carlisle, Unicef UK, +44 (0)207 375 6212 or [email protected]
Unicef UK Media Team on +44 (0)207 375 6030 or [email protected]

About Unicef:
Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children. As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. Unicef UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK. For more information please visit unicef.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook