Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that adequate provisions are made to protect Ukrainian (1) orphans, and (2) unaccompanied children, who come to the UK.

The department is committed to supporting those fleeing from Ukraine.

It is generally in the best interests of a child to be reunited with family members when possible. The Ukrainian government has also been clear that children should not be taken into care without their agreement.

The department takes the welfare of all unaccompanied children extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring they are properly safeguarded. Statutory duties placed on the local authority in respect of unaccompanied children will apply to any unaccompanied or orphaned Ukrainian children arriving in the UK.

In England, section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need in their area, and to accommodate them if they meet the relevant criteria.

Generally, once a child has been accommodated by a local authority continuously for more than 24 hours, they become a looked after child and should be safeguarded. Their welfare should be promoted in the same way as any other looked after child, taking account of their particular needs.