Eight new full-time jobs have been created at Kent County Council to help support young asylum seekers in Canterbury and Medway.

The roles are being funded with a government grant of more than £400,000, which has been given to the authority to help the immigrants continue to build new lives, specifically as they turn 18 and leave the care system.

KCC is currently responsible for almost 1,000 former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who are now leaving care.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 extended the legal requirement for KCC to provide support to all young people leaving care up to the age of 25, if the person wishes, regardless of their educational status.

That also applies to young asylum-seekers, many of whom were aged over 16 when they arrived, giving children’s services limited time to prepare them for life in the community.

Now a new multi-disciplinary team has been created with eight job roles, including a housing support officer, an emotional and wellbeing health practitioner and a language tutor.

They will initially focus on Canterbury and Medway, which currently house a third of Kent’s unaccompanied asylum-seeking care leavers in shared accommodation.

KCC's cabinet member for children, young people and education, Roger Gough, said: “Most of our young asylum-seeking care leavers have become engaged members of their local communities and yet there remain a small but significant number of young people who require extra support.

“Many of these young people have complex needs, such as mental health issues or housing problems which can’t be dealt with by a single agency.

"This funding of £407,000 will allow KCC to ensure it can provide the best possible support, encourage integration and improve outcomes."

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