Mail Online

Child refugees locked out of UK by Home Office U-turn

By Molly Clayton

VULNERABLE Ukrainian children have effectively been locked out of the UK after a last-minute visa change by the Home Office.

Minors travelling without a parent have had their visas ‘paused’, with many stranded across Europe because the change happened after they had fled the war zone.

The Mail on Sunday has been contacted by several British families who had been linked with children under the age of 18 through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Steve and Louise Hayes, both 40, had been hoping to host sisters Daryna and Anhelina Kurta at their home in East Sussex.

Daryna, 22, can enter the UK, but Anhelina cannot because she is 17 and travelling without a parent, even though their mother and father have provided written permission for the arrangement. The girls are still in Ukraine.

Mrs Hayes said: ‘This new clause was not the case when we applied and this had not been communicated to us at any point. This process has totally consumed our lives. Every waking moment is spent trying to figure out what’s going on, what can we do today that may help? It’s utterly appalling.’

The change by the Home Office, which is intended to stop the trafficking of minors, allows only ‘unaccompanied’ children to enter the UK if they are reuniting with a parent or legal guardian. But it has impacted the visas of children travelling with other relatives or adults entrusted with their care.

Cambridge University professor Olenka Pevny, 58, filed paperwork in March to allow her to bring her niece Diana Demchyna to the UK.

She had promised the 12-yearold’s parents that she would ‘protect and care’ for their daughter and travelled to Poland to collect her charge. But the rule change means Diana is not allowed into the UK and the pair have been waiting in Poland now for two months.

Dr Pevny said: ‘It makes me so upset and frustrated. Her bedroom is ready and her school placement is ready. She thinks the UK doesn’t want her.’

The United Nations Children’s Fund estimates that more than two million children have been forced to flee Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February. The Ukrainian authorities argue that children should be allowed into the UK if they obtain permission from their parents or legal guardians.

Sasha Ivanenko, 15, has been travelling with his aunt and they have all the documentation to prove the arrangement, but they are stuck in France while their UK host, Laura Goedhuis, lobbies the Government to allow them to enter Britain. Ms Goedhuis said she had been told by Chris Heaton-Harris, her MP and the Government’s Chief Whip, the guardianship issues would be resolved by next week.

‘Our house is ready and we just want them here safe and sound,’ she said. ‘We have all the documents we need and I have taken them to our MP’s office but we just don’t ever hear any updates or feedback from the Home Office.’

A Government spokesman said: ‘Due to safeguarding concerns, unaccompanied minors are only eligible under the Homes for Ukraine scheme if they are reuniting with a parent or legal guardian in the UK.’

War In Ukraine: Day 87

en-gb

2022-05-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/281964611332210

dmg media (UK)