Relationship breakdown between Ukrainian refugees and their host families could leave some refugees homeless. That was one of the concerns which emerged from a meeting of Salford's health and social care scrutiny panel.
Coun Arnold Saunders raised the issue, following up a report on the current refugee influx from a prior panel meeting. Salford city council has been allocated £10,500 for each approved arrival from Ukraine with hosts provided with a monthly 'thank you' of £350.
So far there have been 116 applications to be a host and 105 adults have arrived as well as 22 children. Three families have left the Salford scheme and more than four have suffered a 'relationship breakdown', the council heard.
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Some 104 have signed up with health services and more than 24 have applied for work/benefits. A total of 61 host homes have been approved, while 19 have been turned down and a further 12 have withdrawn.
Currently, 161 safeguarding checks have been carried out of which 151 were approved in 82 households. Ten have not been approved.
Salford deputy mayor Coun John Merry said there was concern among the Local Government Association (LGA), the body which represents councils across the country, that 'people who offered homes to Ukrainian refugees didn't necessarily expect it to be a long, drawn-out thing'.
"This is going to cause us problems because if there are hosts in Salford and the arrangements break down, the refugees can present themselves to us as homeless," he said. "I think this war is going to last a little longer than people thought."
Coun Jim King said: "The problem is that there is nowhere for them [the refugees] to move on to." The initial report by Janice Lowndes, Salford's assistant director people and communities identified the speed of arrivals, completing DBS chcks, pressure on housing and services and staff capacity to run the scheme as 'challenges' to the refugee scheme.
A further update to the panel is expected on February 1, 2023.
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