EU Settlement Scheme Children in Care 2021-06-07
2021-06-07
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Children in care face a challenge after the EU settlement scheme deadline has passed.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that children in care can apply for settled status after the EU settlement scheme deadline has passed?
We will take steps to ensure that children in care are handled sensitively. If someone misses the 30 June deadline due to reasonable grounds, discretion will be exercised and a late application accepted.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The Government has committed to ensuring vulnerable people do not face uncertainty regarding their status. The questioner wants clarification on whether support extends to those aged 18-25 before December 31, 2020.
I welcome the Government's commitment that we will learn lessons from Windrush and ensure that vulnerable people, especially children, do not find themselves with a question mark over their status in years to come. Will my hon. Friend confirm that the offer of support to care leavers making applications out of time includes those who were aged 18 to 25—and therefore had care leaving status under the Children Act 1989—before 31 December 2020, not just those who were under 18 at the time? Will he consider tweaking the case study provided in the Home Office guidance to make that absolutely clear?
We are doing active outreach via grant-funded organisations with local authorities to ensure vulnerable people are reached. The care leavers described potentially fall under the reasonable grounds provision for missing deadlines, ensuring they can apply if they have reasonable grounds for not meeting the deadline.
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Assessment & feedback
The questioner asked specifically about tweaking case studies in guidance to make support clear but this was not directly addressed.
Under Review
Response accuracy