Safeguarding

Homes for Ukraine – Resources

Introduction

Homes for Ukraine is a national official scheme to find homes for Ukrainian adults and children escaping war.

Some people have also arrived through informal routes and therefore may not be known to the scheme. For example, children arriving to take up places in language schools/boarding schools.

The national Homes for Ukraine scheme has identified around 2,000 people who could be coming to live with over 1,000 hosts/sponsors in Devon this summer. Of the potential arrivals, over 1,000 adults and children are already settling into life here in Devon.

Devon County Council’s Supporting Ukraine website has lots of guidance and advice for hosts and guest alike.

We are required by the government to carry out a series of checks on sponsors, and associated members of their households, and to prioritise the safety of guests arriving from Ukraine. The process of the checks for hosts is detailed on the Devon County Council website.

Support for families

Barnardo’s Ukrainian Support Helpline

The helpline is available to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. It is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers, to offer support to children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

Full details, including opening hours and the phone number, are available on Barnardo’s webpage for Ukrainian Support Helpline.

Red Cross help for Ukrainian nationals in the UK

The Red Cross has information and support for people from Ukraine, including a free helpline (with translators available), resources in Ukraine and Russian, and information on how to find missing family in Ukraine.

Language support

Information about learning English in Devon is available on the Supporting Ukraine website.

Practitioner support

Safeguarding Training available to all. You can set up a DeL account to access a range of training courses, including safeguarding children training.

For further information, please refer to our training and events page.

Welcome visits

Welcome visits to adults and children arriving from Ukraine are carried out by a range of voluntary and community organisations overseen by the district teams across Devon.

It is a requirement for all people to receive a visit and in Devon we have a checklist that is completed as part of this.

Universal support

Accessing health care and a GP

Information about accessing healthcare services in Devon is available on the Supporting Ukraine website.

Public Health Nursing (PHN)

A ‘transfer in visit’ for a Family Health Needs Assessment (FHNA) will be offered to:

  • Any family with a child under three years old who has fled Ukraine and has been identified as being in our area.
  • Any child aged three to five years old who has fled Ukraine who has been identified by the District Council, a Children’s Centre, a GP, Early Years or another organisation, and who has a potential additional health need or is at risk of being isolated and not engaging with children’s centre or early years setting.
  • Any child or young person aged five to 18 who is not in an education setting and who has been identified by the District Council or a Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisation as being isolated, or who has been identified with additional or potential health needs.

Referrals should be made via the PHN referral form unless identified through an alternative method. Please see the Devon County Council website for more information, including details of PHN Hubs.

School

The government has published guidance for families arriving from Ukraine about how to apply for a school place and childcare in England. This information is available in English and Ukrainian.

You can also visit the Devon County Council website to learn more about the schools in your area, look up a map of schools in Devon, or to find out more about in-year school applications.

If you need help with the application process, or you would like advice about schools with vacancies, please contact the School Admissions Team by emailing admissions@devon.gov.uk or calling 01392 383829.

Childcare

Children aged two, three or four years old can receive 15 hours (term time) or 11 hours (all year round) of funded childcare per week. Working parents of three and four-year-olds could be entitled to 30 hours (term time) or 22 hours (all year round) of funded care. Please refer to the government website for details of the support available with early years and childcare costs.

If you are not able to find suitable care, please complete the Unable to find childcare form and support will be offered.

Any queries from organisations should be directed to the the Early Years and Childcare Service mailbox at eycs@devon.gov.uk.

Holiday Activities and Food programme

All Ukrainian children will be offered a place on the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. The scheme offers funded activities and a meal during the Easter, summer and Christmas Holidays for children aged 5-16 years (including 4-year-olds if in reception).

Access to extra support

Safeguarding concerns

Unaccompanied children and young people up to the age of 18

Children and young people are arriving in Devon without their parents to live with sponsors. Some will be part of the national scheme; others may find their way to UK Homes by other means. All will need to be supported and their sponsors assessed as part of the Private Fostering Regulations.

If you identify a child/young person under 18 in the UK with a non-related carer for 28 days or more, you need to contact privatefosteringservice-mailbox@devon.gov.uk and we can offer advice and support. All children, including those identified through the scheme, will need an urgent referral to MASH copying in privatefosteringservice-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.

Full guidance about applications to Homes for Ukraine for children who are not travelling with or joining their parent or legal guardian is available on the government website.

If you are concerned that a child is being abused, or to request support, you can:

Call 0345 155 1071

Complete the request for support online form

If it’s an emergency call 999


Top