Special Needs

Working with Destitute Families

There can be many challenges in working effectively with refugee and asylum seeking families, but when those families are at the end of the asylum process, refused asylum and without permission to work or claim benefits, those challenges become far greater. Here, Lisa Nandy explores new ways of working with families in the Midlands, who have been made destitute by the asylum process.

The refusal of asylum can have a profound impact on children’s lives. Lisa Nandy explores new ways of working with families in the Midlands, who have been made destitute by the asylum process.

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      string(5805) "12Vol 1.2 n www.teachingtimes.comTeam WorkingEvery Child JournalWorking with Destitute FamiliesThere can be many challenges in working effectively withrefugee and asylum seeking families, but when thosefamilies are at the end of the asylum process, refused asylumand without permission to work or claim benefits, thosechallenges become far greater.Over the last three years agencies supporting peopleseeking sanctuary, including the Children’s Society, havewitnessed a significant increase in the numbers of destitutechildren accessing their services. This picture is supportedby wider research: in a short survey in 2008, the JosephRowntree trust counted 51 destitute refugee and asylumseeking children in Leeds in just one week, which representeda fourfold increase over the past two years (Brown, D. JosephRowntree Trust, More Destitution in Leeds, June 2008).Destitution is the ‘inability to access statutory supportmechanisms… reliance on friends, family and charitablegroups for basic subsistence and /or accommodation.It can also be defined by its symptoms or effects, suchas homelessness’ (Information centre for Asylum andRefugees, 2006).Where to turn?Helping familiesat the end of theasylum processThe refusal of asylum can have a profound impact on children’s lives. Lisa Nandy exploresnew ways of working with families in the Midlands, who have been made destitute by theasylum process.Most, though not all, of the children who accessdestitution services are with family members. Many of thesefamilies are not in touch with any other statutory or voluntaryagencies, living essentially an underground existence withbasic health, education and safety needs going unmet.Defining the problemThe Children’s Society became so concerned that itcommissioned research to identify why so many familieswere becoming destitute. The report, ‘Living on the Edgeof Despair’ (Clarke, N. and Nandy, L. The Children’s Society,2008), was based on a small study of in depth interviews with13 destitute family members in the Midlands. There were16 destitute children in the study, all under 8 years old. Thestudy revealed that the majority of families were destitutebecause they had been refused asylum. At this point somehad been refused asylum support by the Home Office andothers had opted to go underground rather than face theprospect of removal. Some families in the study were stillwaiting for a decision on their asylum claim and had wronglywww.teachingtimes.com n Vol 1.2Team Working Every Child Journal13been refused support. Others were missing out on help theycould have received because they did not know they wereentitled to it.The research demonstrated the heavy toll this existenceplaces on the families. We found children growing up in dirtyand unsafe conditions, eating only once a day and withoutthe ability to read or write, in any language, because they hadnever been to school. Children and their parents struggledto access basic healthcare and unsurprisingly had a varietyof mental health problems. We were particularly concernedabout the potential for exploitation of those families: inour study women told us they were forced to prostitutethemselves in order to survive and two had conceivedchildren as a result.Our ProjectIn response to this we set up a project in the Midlandsto provide crisis grants and basic essentials to destitutefamilies for up to six weeks while our practitioners helpedthem to find a more sustainable solution. Rather thanset up something new, we decided to base the service inplaces families already knew and felt comfortable in. InStoke on Trent this was set up in a Children’s Centre, whistin Birmingham we chose a drop-in centre for refugees. Wehave already learnt that items are as important to familiesas money, especially buggies and prams, nappies and otherequipment for babies. Churches and volunteers are keen tocollect items to donate, although they often provide toysrather than essentials which, though very welcome, are notthe items families most badly need.The grant we provide is a weekly cash payment and isadministered by the Birmingham Law Centre. One of theessential criteria for case workers applying to the fund, on afamily’s behalf, is to demonstrate that steps are being takento move the family out of destitution. This enables us to helpmore families and to ensure that we are not merely sustainingfamilies in a situation of extreme poverty.Sustainable solutionsFor some families a sustainable solution can be reachedby providing advice and advocacy, to help them accessthe services and support they are entitled to. The asylumsupport system is incredibly complex and this in itself canleave families destitute. Support can be accessed undervarious pieces of legislation. For instance, housing and cashpayments are available under Section 95 of the Immigrationand Asylum Act 1999, accommodation and living costs areavailable under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 and basic14Vol 1.2 n www.teachingtimes.comTeam WorkingEvery Child Journalprovisions under the National Assistance Act 1948. Womenwho give birth after being refused asylum are treated assingle adults and can apply for support from the Home Officeunder Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Thistypically consists of a bed and vouchers.Local authorities also provide some discretionary support,but this is subject to their own eligibility criterion. Thismeans that in some areas families refused asylum can claimadditional help, whilst in others they cannot. Navigating thislabyrinth requires specialist knowledge.Our research found"
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Special Needs

Where to turn?

16 Dec 2009

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      string(5650) "Activity 10a instructionsThe VictoriansActivity 10a: The workhouse and child labour Key words: history, literacy, research, critical thinking, PSHE, empathy, Victorian, child labour, workhouse, chimney sweeps, textile mills, mines, poverty, primary sources, analysis, writing, comparison  Key stages 2-3Description Pupils make a comparison between their lives today and the lives of children in Victorian times, with particular emphasis on children in poverty. Curriculum focusHistory, research skills, critical thinking, PSHE, literacy Materials Included in this resource pack:Activity sheet 10a – Student introductionActivity sheet 10b – The workhouseActivity sheet 10c – Child labourActivity sheet 10d – The plight of climbing boys, 1818Activity sheet 10e – The Huskar Pit disaster, 1838Activity sheet 10f – Evidence of child labour (Images and children’s testimonies) Groupings Groups of four or fiveProcedureHand out Activity sheet 10a, which provides an introduction to the activity and an outline of the task.Start by asking pupils to think about how they live. Give the groups a large sheet of paper and ask them to write down how they spend their time. Ask the pupils to write down the types of food they eat – the meals, snacks, drinks. Ask pupils to write down the activities they do in their spare time. How many pupils have complained about going to school?Now ask pupils to write on their paper the things children are not allowed to do by law.Give pupils Activity sheets 10b and 10c. In their groups pupils read through the information. Pupils can also be given Activity sheets 10d, 10e and 10f, all of which contain evidence of child labour.In the 1840s, 25 per cent of the labour force was made up of children.In their groups, pupils discuss:· Are there any jobs that children did that were worse than any others?· Which would be worse – living in a workhouse or being employed in a mill? Why?· Which would be worse – being apprenticed as a chimney sweep or working in the mines? Why?· Discuss how the children’s health may have been affected by working underground.· Children were also employed in other industries. What other jobs were done by children in Victorian Britain?· Do children work today? If so, in what types of jobs and why?Ask the pupils to write up a comparison of their lives today and the lives of children during Victorian times. Life as a Victorian child in povertyHave you ever complained about going to school?In the 1840s, many children did dangerous work instead of going to school like you do today. In fact, 25 per cent of the labour force was made up of children. They were often forced to work as soon as they could walk in order to help support their families.YOUR TASKIn your groups, discuss how you and other young people today live. On a large sheet of paper, brainstorm:· how you spend your time· the types of food you eat – the meals, snacks, drinks.· the activities you do in your spare time· the things children are not allowed to do by law.Now look at Activity sheets 10b and 10c. Read through the information with your groups. Your teacher may also give you Activity sheets 10d, 10e and 10f, all of which contain evidence of child labour.Use the evidence you have just read and your own research to note down some answers to the following questions.· Are there any jobs that children did that were worse than any others?· Which would be worse – living in a workhouse or being employed in a mill? Why?· Which would be worse – being apprenticed to a chimney sweep or working in the mines? Why?· How may children’s health have been affected by working underground?· Children were also employed in other industries. Research three other jobs done by children in Victorian Britain and compare them with those done by children in coal mines.· Do children work today? If so, in what types of jobs and why?Now write up a comparison of your life today, and the lives of other young people similar to you, with the lives of children during Victorian times.The WorkhouseThe parishes of England and Wales became responsible for taking care of the poor in their communities with the passing of the Poor Law Act in 1388. The term ‘workhouse’ was first used in 1631. However, following the Napoleonic Wars, the industrialisation of Great Britain and a series of bad harvests, it was apparent by the early 1830s that the way in which the local parishes helped their poor, known as ‘poor relief’, was unsustainable and something needed to be done.The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 was an attempt to prevent anyone receiving poor relief unless they entered the workhouse. The parishes in England and Wales were formed into Poor Law Unions, managed by a locally elected Board of Guardians, each with its own workhouse. Anyone applying to enter the workhouse was destitute and had to face the ‘workhouse test’. Poor relief was only granted to those who were desperate enough to face the repugnant conditions of the workhouse.What was life like in a workhouse?Life in a workhouse was harsh, and the awful conditions meant a great stigma was attached to anyone desperate enough to endure them.If an able-bodied man had to enter, his whole family entered with him. Equally, if he left as he had found work, his family left with him. Once inside, men, women, children, the infirm and able-bodied were housed separately and slept in communal dormitories. Parents were allowed to visit their children for one hour every week, usually on a Sunday.All inmates"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Activity 10a Resource Pack: The workhouse and child labour

18 Dec 2014

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      string(5651) "Activity 13a instructionsThe VictoriansActivity 13a: The workhouse and child labourKey words: history, literacy, research, critical thinking, PSHE, empathy, Victorian, child labour, workhouse, chimney sweeps, textile mills, mines, poverty, primary sources, analysis, writing, comparisonKey stages 2-3DescriptionPupils make a comparison between their lives today and the lives of children in Victorian times, with particular emphasis on children in poverty.Curriculum focusHistory, research skills, critical thinking, PSHE, literacyMaterialsIncluded in this resource pack:Activity sheet 13a – Student introductionActivity sheet 13b – The workhouseActivity sheet 13c – Child labourActivity sheet 13d – The plight of climbing boys, 1818Activity sheet 13e – The Huskar Pit disaster, 1838Activity sheet 13f – Evidence of child labour (Images and children’s testimonies)GroupingsGroups of four or fiveProcedureHand out Activity sheet 13a, which provides an introduction to the activity and an outline of the task.Start by asking pupils to think about how they live. 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Why?· Discuss how the children’s health may have been affected by working underground.· Children were also employed in other industries. What other jobs were done by children in Victorian Britain?· Do children work today? If so, in what types of jobs and why?Ask the pupils to write up a comparison of their lives today and the lives of children during Victorian times.Life as a Victorian child in povertyHave you ever complained about going to school?In the 1840s, many children did dangerous work instead of going to school like you do today. In fact, 25 per cent of the labour force was made up of children. They were often forced to work as soon as they could walk in order to help support their families.YOUR TASKIn your groups, discuss how you and other young people today live. 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Creative Teaching & Learning

Activity 13a: The workhouse and child labour

10 Dec 2014

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      string(4960) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.EDUCATING ALLKeywordsEducation, socialmobility, UK,universities,state school,students,financialdifficulty, low-income families,maintenancegrantsSummaryThis new report by the Institute For Fiscal Studies has offered some worrying analysis aroundsocial mobility in the UK and within universities, showing that 86.7% of state school educatedstudents faced financial difficulty at university.Replacing grants with loans means that students from low-income families are graduating with thehighest debt levels, in excess of £57,000. The report also shows that the scrapping of the grant underDavid Cameron in 2015 disproportionately affects the poorest, while students from the richest 30% ofhouseholds leave with lower average borrowings of £43,000.The scrapping of maintenance grants and the fact that working class students who are often thefirst of their families to go to university are leaving with the highest ever levels of debt, higher thantheir wealthier peers which will burden them for most of their lives. Thast means universities are lessaccessible to those with already significant barriers. The pressures of increased debt is also havingnegative consequences on the mental health of working class students.Although universities provide financial support for students from low income families, our surveyfound that finance is still identified as a barrier for many students. In total 84.5% of respondents hadbeen worried about finance while at university. 86.7% of those from comprehensive schools had beenworried about finance compared with 60% from private schools.It is also interesting to note that a much higher percentage of those who identified as working classagreed with the statement that their class was a barrier when integrating at university compared withthose who did not identify as working class.Key Findings: ■ Working class students are still failing to see these institutions as ‘places for them’. Many lack asense of belonging and entitlement to their place at university and feel isolated and alienated inthat environment. ■ Working class students tend to lack the same sense of confidence and entitlement in their opinionas their middle class peers. Some may find interacting with tutors in positions of authority andpeers from private school backgrounds intimidating. ■ Mental health support needs improvement. Measures to improve mental health support includeadditional funding and resources, greater awareness and understanding amongst staff andstudents about this issue and more effective advertising.Week Commencing 10th July 2017https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3RrlNbn4bryOUJNaGg1bG5vdHc/viewLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents. ■ Financial support at the institutions explored in this research is often adequate if not generousduring term time. However support over non-term time periods for students may be necessary asmany working class students have to work to earn money rather than undertake an internship,volunteering opportunities or travelling.Conclusions: ■ Working class individuals should be represented and provided with the opportunity to makedecisions that will affect them, meaning access via higher education to the positions that makechange. The institutions that are creating and developing our next lawmakers, barristers, judgesand next generations of powerful and influential people need to implement change and applypractical and effective solutions in order for this to happen. ■ Universities need to be at the forefront of progressive social change, starting with havinginstitutions that sound and look like the whole of the country and not just a small and powerfulsection of it. This means having a greater intake of working class students, as well as diversifyingthe university workforce. ■ A serious look is needed into pastoral support as well as teaching curricula and how it can beupdated and improved. ■ The underrepresentation of working class students in elite institutions remains one of thebiggest problems. Universities need to do more to encourage and actively increase workingclass applications, including direct contact and extra support to manage the process. Thesupport should extend to comprehensive sixth form colleges, which often do not have the sameresources or expertise as private schools..WEB LINKEducating Allhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3RrlNbn4bryOUJNaGg1bG5vdHc/view"
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Leadership

Educating All

7 Jul 2017