Scotland ready to take 300 refugee children

The Scottish Government is backing calls for 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children, who have reached Europe, to be accepted by the UK.

Afghan refugees disembark from a dinghy after crossing a part of the Aegean sea from Turkish coast to the Greek island of Chios. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Humza Yousaf, the international development minister, has now written to his UK government opposite number calling for a plan to be drawn up that would allow the youngsters to come to Britain.

Scotland is ready to “play its role” in taking its share, likely to be about 300 children, Mr Yousaf added.

The minister met with Save the Children yesterday to offer his support to the charity’s call for 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees, who have already reached Europe, to be accepted by the UK. It will be discussed with councils in Scotland as a “priority.”

Humza Yousaf MSP. Picture John Devlin/TSPL

Mr Yousaf added: “The decision to take in refugee children who are unaccompanied will rest with the UK government, but Scotland will continue to support and welcome any refugees who arrive in the UK including children, and continue to discuss with local authorities any support required. The Scottish Government is working closely with Cosla to assess regional capacity.”

Scotland welcomed nearly 400 Syrian refugees between October and December last year under the Syrian Resettlement Programme. 

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