Migrant Children's Project Newsletter September 2017 Follow us on Twitter If you have used our guidance and resources so far in 2017, please take two minutes to complete our short survey here. Healthcare: new charging regulations and a new training course From 23 October 2017, NHS providers giving any treatment not provided by a GP or in A&E will be required to 'recover an estimate of the charges in advance' unless the treatment is urgent - in short, to charge up-front. This even includes treatments given by school nurses and health visitors. For more information, see our fact sheets on primary and secondary health care, and this primer from Doctors of the World. The law is changing fast, and the Migrant Children's Project and Doctors of the World are running a new half-day training session on access to healthcare for migrant young people and families on 7 December 2017. This training is a pilot, so please do come along and tell us what you think! You can book here. Further education: brand new fact sheet September brings the start of a new school year - but how do you navigate the complicated world of further education enrolment as a migrant or refugee young person? Our new, in-depth fact sheet has comprehensive information on eligibility, government funding, bursaries, adult education and more. Download the fact sheet here. School census The next school census will take place on 5 October 2017 for children aged 5-19 in school in the UK. However, providing this data is optional and does not affect school funding. In December 2016 The Guardian reported that education officials have an agreement to share the personal details of up to 1,500 schoolchildren a month with the Home Office. Parents can refuse to provide data, and can retract data that has already been submitted. Schools are also not permitted to make parents provide passports or birth certificates. There is lots more information on the website of the Action against Borders for Children (ABC) campaign website - click here to get involved. Legal Aid for children: an update The Labour-backed Bach Commission has published its final report and in doing so has joined the ranks of a huge number of organisations highlighting the harrowing impact of the removal of legal aid for children in many areas of law. The report calls for 'all matters concerning children [to] be brought back into the scope of legal aid.' You can read the report here, and CCLC's fact sheet on legal aid - including accessing exceptional case funding for children with immigration issues - can be downloaded here. Bank accounts: new regulations Until 2014, there were no restrictions relating to immigration status on who could hold a bank account in the UK. However, new restrictions were brought in in 2014 and will be extended to include pre-existing bank accounts from 30 October 2017. From this date, banks will be obliged to run regular checks on existing account holders, and to freeze accounts of those who they suspect do not have leave to remain in the UK. For more information, see CCLC's fact sheet on bank accounts here and information from the Home Office on the new duties for banks here. If you have queries about these or other issues, please contact our advice line on 0207 636 8505 or email mcpadvice@coramclc.org.uk. Our upcoming training courses Our courses can now be booked online - just visit our Eventbrite page! The registration of children as British citizens Coram Campus, London Wednesday 8 November 2017, 4pm - 6:30pm New! Access to healthcare for migrant young people and families Coram Campus, London Thursday 7 December 2017, 2pm - 5:30pm An introduction to the rights of children and young people in the immigration system Coram Campus, London Wednesday 22 November 2017, 2 - 5pm [waiting list] Wednesday 28 February 2018, 2 - 5pm Tuesday 1 May 2018, 2 - 5pm Supporting EU national children in care Coram Campus, London Tuesday 10 April 2018, 2pm - 5:30pm Access to education for migrant children Coram Campus, London Tuesday 3 October 2017, 2pm - 5pm The rights and entitlements of young refugees and migrants Coram Campus, London Tuesday 14 November 2017, 10am - 4:30pm Tuesday 13 February 2018, 10am - 4:30pm Thursday 19 April 2018, 10am - 4:30pm Supporting undocumented and NRPF families Coram Campus, London Tuesday 10 October 2017, 10am - 4:30pm For more information and to book, please see our eventbrite page. To commission in-house training for your organisation, please see our website. New reports and guidance The final report of the Bach Commission The Bach Commission on Legal Aid, 22 September 2017 Harrowing Journeys - Children and youth on the move across the Mediterranean Sea, at risk of trafficking and exploitation UNICEF, September 2017 Time to get it right: Finding consensus on Britain’ s future immigration policy British Future, September 2017 Latest news EU citizens will not be fingerprinted or need ID cards, say officials The Guardian, 25 September 2017 Foster charities fear child refugee crackdown after Parsons Green attack The Guardian, 23 September 2017 Labour-backed report calls for more generous legal aid system The Guardian, 22 September 2017 UK banks to check 70m bank accounts in search for illegal immigrants The Guardian, 21 September 2017 School nurses could be forced to deny migrant children treatment under new rules Politics.co.uk, 19 September 2017 Asylum seeker thanks judges after return to UK from illegal deportation The Guardian, 18 September 2017 ‘I can’t wait to work, but I’m not allowed to’: young refugees on living in limbo The Observer, 17 September 2017 The Home Office makes huge profits from immigrants. So where is the money going to? The Independent, 13 September 2017 Three out of four child refugees trying to reach Europe face 'appalling' levels of exploitation, report finds The Independent, 12 September 2017 Home Office sets up team to deal with high profile immigration cases Freemovement blog, 11 September 2017 'Destitution is routine': refugees face homelessness even after gaining asylum The Guardian, 8 September 2017 Hostile environment 2.0: Post-Brexit migration plans are all too familiar Politics.co.uk, 7 September 2017 Government takes over Croydon child services after 'serious failures' The Guardian, 4 September 2017 Home Office makes thousands in profit on some visa applications The Guardian, 1 September 2017 How to protect care leavers and looked-after children after Brexit Children and Young People Now, 29 August 2017 Let us know what you think! Do you use our website, publications or advice line? 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