City Strolls - events - meetings
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Destitution Crisis
Positive Action in Housing and the Scottish Refugee Council
There are growing numbers of people in Glasgow who have been refused asylum, living in or facing complete destitution. With no entitlement to work, to welfare benefits or to public housing, and with confusion over entitlements to health care and even social work support for children, these households are extremely vulnerable. Positive Action in Housing and the Scottish Refugee Council have described the situation as a crisis. The most vulnerable people in this position include families with babies and young children, pregnant women, elderly people and people with support needs including recovering victims of torture and rape, and those needing medical treatment for example for HIV/AIDS.
Section 4 Home Office Support
Basic Home Office "Section 4" support (room and food vouchers, no cash) is available to people whose asylum applications have been fully refused, where they are unable to leave the country immediately. However, there is waiting list for this support, and many people will not apply because it is conditional on agreeing to be returned home. For many people this is simply not an option, as they believe they are still in danger. The United Nations continues to criticise the UK Government's return of "failed" asylum seekers to unsafe countries, and the Scottish Refugee Council has concerns that many asylum seekers in danger are refused protection due to lack of appropriate legal representation in their asylum applications.
Families with children
Families with children are entitled to Home Office (NASS) support until they are removed from the country. However, where a child is born after NASS support has ended, they have no entitlement, and the duty of care lies with the local authority. Glasgow City Council appears to have adopted the position that local Social Work offices are only allowed to offer support to the child in these circumstances, leading to several families of three subsisting on only £35.00 per week. Some families have not approached Social Work for assistance, and are surviving on food parcels and small and unreliable charitable donations. Network response
At the Govan Integration Network development day on Friday 17th February, it was agreed that a group should get together to look at how the Network can respond to this crisis in the area, particularly focusing on destitute families with children.
A meeting has been arranged for Wednesday 8 March, 2pm at Govan Integration Network offices, opposite Govan Underground. At this meeting we would like to start looking at practical responses including the following:
* What can the network do to help?
* Food/hygiene packs
* Accessing destitution funds
* Linking in with voluntary sector and charities
* Social Work support (Children (Scotland) Act)
* Section 4 (Hard case support)
If you would like to come along to the meeting or know anyone else that would like to be involved in this group, please could you let me know.
Angela Gardiner
Ethnic Minority Development Officer
Govan Housing Association
t. 01414406893
Bob, 16:26
