WHO ARE REFUGEES?
“A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it..”

(The 1951 UN Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol were both signed by the UK)

Refugee children in Britain are a diverse group. Some arrive in the UK with both parents; others may only have one parent caring for them. Some children live with older brothers and sisters, or with relatives and friends; others arrive alone and unaccompanied by a parent or carer.

In 2008, the Refugee Council estimated that there were almost 99,000 refugee children of compulsory school age in UK.

According to the Refugee Council report, discriminatory and inconsistent schools admissions policies, lengthy waiting times to access college places, and confusion over financial support are factors that leave refugees or asylum seekers struggling to receive education to which they are entitled.

Many children are traumatized by their flight and past experiences and have not received adequate treatment. Many children face racist attitudes at school. Some schools are reluctant to accept refugee children due to their lack of knowledge or lack of proficiency in English.