Seven more Syrian refugee families settled in Staffordshire

The arrival of the families comes after 51 refugees settled in the country in 2016/17 and is part of a pledge by Staffordshire County Council to accommodate families under the Government's Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

Only people deemed most at risk in Syria are brought to the UK under the scheme, which sees refugees settled around the country with the help of councils like Staffordshire's who have volunteered to take part.

The first 12 months of each refugee's resettlement costs is funded by the Government, with extra money available for authorities further down the line, while every refugee is put through security checks and given a full medical assessment before they arrive in the UK.

Settling

In Staffordshire the families have been placed in the Lichfield, Moorlands and East Staffordshire districts and are now settling into their new homes.

It comes after months of work by local authorities and the Refugee Action charity to ensure the county had everything in place for their arrival

This includes providing a safe and secure environment with access to adequate medical provision, suitable housing, and school places where needed.

Gill Heath, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for communities, said: “This programme is about helping those refugees in the greatest need, including people requiring urgent medical treatment, survivors of torture and women and children who are most at risk.

"As a county, we are doing all that we can to help."

Last year the council agreed last year to accommodate another 50 refugees under the scheme in 2018, after the successful resettlement of 51 Syrians in the county in 2016/17.

Brutal

The people coming to the UK from Syria are fleeing the on-going civil war which has seen the country’s infrastructure, healthcare, education and economy virtually destroyed.

Last week at least 40 people are thought to have died in a suspected poison gas attack in the rebel-held town of Douma, where families were reportedly found suffocated in their homes and shelters with foam on their mouths.

US President Donald Trump blamed the suspected attack on Syrian government forces and has threatened to respond militarily, tweeting that missiles 'will be coming' and labelling Syrian president Bashar Assad a 'gas killing animal'.

Councillor Heath added: “We hope that these people, who are most at risk and cannot be supported in their own country, are able to rebuild their lives and are able to integrate with local communities in the area.”

Faye Jeffery, from Refugee Action, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our work with the council and other local partners to welcome more Syrian refugees to Staffordshire.

“We provide integration support to ensure the families have access to English language lessons, health and education services, so they can start to rebuild their lives and contribute to their new communities.”