Support for Afghan refugees

Suffolk Public Sector Leaders have pledged their commitment to support Afghan Refugees as part of the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (ARAP) for families who supported and worked with the British Military and for the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (for those being evacuated).  

Suffolk has already accommodated 4 households under the ARAP scheme (existing interpreter scheme) and has pledged to increase this offer. It is not yet clear how many families will be accommodated in Suffolk.  Information about the needs of those families (e.g. education, health, disability, cultural requirements etc.) will help determine whether the properties available and their location will meet those needs.

Suffolk County Council commissions Suffolk Refugee Support to deliver support services to refugees and works closely with other voluntary and community sector organisations who provide housing support to refugees in Suffolk.  They are in discussions with Suffolk Refugee Support to expand their offer to support additional families arriving in Suffolk. They are ready and able to up-scale when the need arises.

Any unaccompanied asylum seeker children that arrive in Suffolk will automatically fall under the care of the Looked After Children’s team in the County Council’s Children and Young People services. They are aware of the possible increased need.  In instances where families include school-age children, SCC's education team is ready to find appropriate school places.

Many members of the public are keen to offer donations to Afghan households. Because the numbers of people coming to Suffolk is very small at the moment, SCC officers have advised that there is no requirement for items to be donated at this stage. However, they are aware that this situation might change. Therefore, they have created a specific webpage on the SCC website which will allow SCC to communicate this message and direct people who wish to donate. Read suffolk.gov.uk/howyoucanhelp to find out more.