Migrant Separated Young People in Wirral

If you came to the UK without your parent or carer and you are under 18, you may be called a separated young person.

You may also hear the term unaccompanied asylum-seeking child (UASC) if you have come to the UK and are asking for protection.

Coming to a new country can mean dealing with lots of new people, places and rules.

You do not have to work everything out by yourself.

If Wirral Council is looking after you, there will be people whose job is to keep you safe, listen to you and help you understand what is happening.

If you are under 18 and have arrived in the UK without a parent or carer, Wirral Children’s Services may become responsible for looking after you.

This means helping to make sure you have:

🏠 Somewhere safe to live

📚 Education

🩺 Healthcare

👕 The things you need day to day

❤️ Support with your wellbeing

⚖️ Help to get legal and immigration advice

🤝 Support to settle into life in Wirral

You will have a Social Worker who gets to know you and helps make plans for your care.

You should receive the same care and support as other children looked after by Wirral Council.

Wirral Children’s Services will help arrange somewhere suitable for you to live.

Where you live will depend on things like your age, needs and circumstances.

Your Social Worker should explain:

• Where you will be living.

• Who you will be living with.

• What support you will have.

• What will happen next.

Important

You may see information about Serco providing accommodation for people seeking asylum in Wirral.

This is part of the Home Office system for eligible asylum seekers and is different from the care provided to a separated young person who is looked after by Wirral Council.

If you are under 18 and being looked after by Wirral Council, you should not have to arrange your own accommodation through an adult asylum service.

Asylum means asking the UK for protection because it may not be safe for you to return to your home country.

The Home Office is the part of the UK Government that makes decisions about asylum and immigration.

There may be:

• Forms to complete.

• Meetings to attend.

• Information you need to provide.

• Important dates.

• Decisions you need help to understand.

This can feel complicated.

Your Social Worker and the people supporting you should help you understand what you need to do, when you need to do it and who can help you.

You should be helped to get advice from an immigration solicitor.

A solicitor is a legal professional who can help you understand your immigration status and your rights.

They can help you:

• Understand your asylum or immigration claim.

• Complete important forms.

• Collect information for your case.

• Speak to the Home Office.

• Understand decisions about your claim.

• Get help if a decision is refused.

• Prepare for an appeal if you need one.

Remember

You are not expected to understand the asylum system by yourself.

If you don't understand something, ask your Social Worker or solicitor to explain it again.

Your immigration status describes your legal position in the UK.

Many physical immigration documents have now been replaced by an eVisa.

An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status.

You can ask your Social Worker, Personal Adviser or immigration solicitor for help understanding your immigration status and documents.

Information about eVisas – GOV.UK

You should be supported to continue your education.

The people supporting you can help you find the right school or college.

If you are learning English, you may be able to study ESOL.

ESOL means English for Speakers of Other Languages.

It can help you improve your English while you continue your education.

You can get healthcare through the NHS.

You should be helped to register with:

🩺 A GP or doctor

🦷 A dentist

👓 An optician

Your Social Worker can help you access the healthcare you need.

What If I Need an Interpreter?

An interpreter helps you and another person understand each other if you speak different languages.

If you need an interpreter for an appointment, tell your Social Worker or the person supporting you.

You should be able to understand what is being discussed and ask your own questions.

Some separated young people have experienced difficult or frightening things before coming to the UK or during their journey.

You may feel worried, sad, angry or confused. You might have upsetting memories or find it difficult to sleep.

Or you might not feel like this at all.

Everyone is different.

If you are finding things difficult, tell your Social Worker or another adult you trust.

They can help you find someone to talk to and get the right support.

Coming to the UK does not mean leaving your identity behind.

Your:

Culture • Language • Religion • Food • Traditions • Community

can all be important parts of who you are.

Tell your Social Worker about the things that matter to you.

They can help you find local communities, activities and places of worship and help you stay connected to your culture and faith.

Turning 18 can change some of the support you receive, but it does not mean you suddenly have to manage everything alone.

If you are a care leaver, you may continue to receive support from Wirral Council.

You may have a Personal Adviser, sometimes called a PA.

They can help you with:

🏠 Housing
💷 Money
📚 Education and training
💼 Work
🩺 Health and wellbeing
🛂 Immigration
🍳 Independent living skills
🎯 Your plans for the future

Your immigration status may affect some of the support available to you after you turn 18.

Your Social Worker, Personal Adviser and immigration solicitor can help you understand what this means for you.

There are also organisations that can give you extra help.

You don't need to contact them alone. Your Social Worker or Personal Adviser can help you.

Wirral Multicultural Organisation

Migrant Community Wellbeing Project

Supports people from different cultures and communities in Wirral, including people seeking asylum.

They can help with settling into Wirral, connecting with your community, health and wellbeing.

Call: 0151 792 5116
Email: info@wmo.org.uk

Wirral Change

Wirral Change

Wirral Change supports people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities living in Wirral.

They can help you connect with your community and find local services, activities and opportunities.

Migrant Help

Migrant Help – Asylum Helpline

Migrant Help provides independent advice and support to people seeking asylum.

They can help with questions about the asylum process and support available to you.

Call: 0808 8010 503
Email: info@migranthelpuk.org

British Red Cross

British Red Cross

The British Red Cross supports refugees and people seeking asylum.

They may also be able to help if you have lost contact with family members.

Call: 0808 196 3651

More Information From Wirral Council

Wirral Council also provides information about support for refugees, people seeking asylum and vulnerable migrants living in Wirral.

Refugees and vulnerable migrants in Wirral – Wirral Council

Not Sure Who to Ask?

Start with your Social Worker.

You don't need to know whether you should contact Children's Services, the Home Office, an immigration solicitor or another organisation.

You can simply say:

“I need help with this. Who can help me?”

Your Social Worker can help you find the right person.

💙 Remember

You are not expected to work everything out by yourself.

You have the right to:

Feel safe • Be listened to • Understand what is happening • Ask questions • Get help when you need it

And if something doesn't make sense, it's always okay to ask someone to explain it again.

Being away from your family and friends can be difficult.

Talk to your Social Worker if you would like help staying in contact with people in your home country.

If you have lost contact with family members, organisations such as the British Red Cross may be able to help.

Family Reunion

If you have questions about whether family members can join you in the UK, get advice before making an application.

The rules can be complicated and depend on your situation.

Your immigration solicitor can help you understand your options.

The British Red Cross also provides information and advice about refugee family reunion.

British Red Cross – Help for refugees