{"id":9859,"date":"2016-09-15T12:26:04","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T11:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=9859"},"modified":"2016-09-15T13:41:05","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T12:41:05","slug":"support-refugee-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=9859","title":{"rendered":"Support refugee children"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s often forgotten in discussions of the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe is that a large swath of these refugees are mere children, with many of them starting their new lives away from unspeakable violence sent completely unaccompanied.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite and other TUC trade unions called on the trade union movement to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all refugees in a motion at conference which discussed the specific impact of the crisis on refugee children and the attendant support that they will need.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The motion was overwhelmingly carried yesterday (September 14).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Speaking in support of the motion was Unite delegate Norma Dudley, a health visitor who argued that adequately funded public health services such as health visiting and school nursing are fundamental to the future well-being of refugee and asylum-seeking children.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn all the trauma, relocation and legal difficulties that [refugee children and asylum seeker families] experience, their long-term health needs are often overlooked,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she explained.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHealth outcomes for children not living with their families are significantly poorer than those of other children,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she pointed out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf these children are in school, they will be identified and assessed by school nurses who carry out universal health screenings for all children between the ages of 0 and 19,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Dudley added. \u00e2\u20ac\u0165They are well placed to respond to the needs of refugee children and of unaccompanied minors who have no one to advocate for them.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That is, Dudley highlighted, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bif the school nursing service continues to be funded.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She described the funding crisis now engulfing health visiting and school nursing, whose commissioning last year was transferred from the NHS to local authorities. These services are now no longer ring-fenced, and, along with other public health services, are facing a \u00c2\u0141200m slash this year alone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One \u00e2\u20ac\u015bglaring\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 example of the services being decimated is in Bromley, Dudley noted, where the council has announced that there will be no school nursing services from March of next year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This move, she argued, entails \u00e2\u20ac\u015bsnatching away the only public health service dedicated to children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s needs.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Urging Congress to support the motion, Dudley also called on everyone to encourage local authorities to a provide a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bwell resourced and professional school nursing and health visiting service.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhen universal public health services are cut,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Dudley concluded, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bit is always the most vulnerable who suffer.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n