Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 36
36
Not Addressed
Monitor and mitigate safeguarding concerns within Ukrainian schemes and conduct a comprehensive review.
Recommendation
We heard worrying evidence of safeguarding risks to vulnerable adults and children where UK sponsors and Ukrainians in the Homes for Ukraine scheme have self- matched via the internet and social media. We welcome safeguarding guidance to local authorities published earlier this year, but it is regrettable that it was not published sooner. It is not clear the extent to which safeguarding concerns in relation to self-matching of UK sponsors and Ukrainians in the Homes for Ukraine scheme have arisen and what action, if any, has been taken to address them. The Government should set out in response to this Report the steps it has taken to monitor and mitigate safeguarding concerns within the Ukrainian schemes. It should carry out a review of safeguarding in the schemes within three months, to ensure that lessons are learnt and any failings not repeated. (Paragraph 221) Equality and the UK asylum process 79
Government Response Summary
The government details existing safeguarding measures within the Ukrainian schemes, including mandatory security and DBS checks, welfare visits by councils, and guidance for online matching. However, it does not commit to carrying out a specific review of safeguarding within three months as recommended.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
In relation to the recommendation at paragraph 221, we carry out mandatory security checks on all adults prior to issuing a visa for each application, to keep people safe in the UK, and protect people making journeys from Ukraine. Local authorities then conduct accommodation and DBS checks as a second layer of safeguarding to ensure all guests are safe and well. Councils must make a welfare visit after a guest has arrived to ensure they are safe and well, and there are no serious health and safety or welfare concerns. Only then can the sponsor payment be made. Guidance has been clarified that councils should retrospectively undertake safeguarding checks when a guest rematches. Many successful matches have been made on social media, providing a fast and effective way for prospective guests to find a suitable sponsor under Homes for Ukraine. The scheme recommends taking precautions when matching online, and guidance on how to stay safe is published at GOV.UK. The Homes for Ukraine Scheme recommends taking precautions when matching online and these are published at GOV.UK. These are helpful resources for both adults and children published on gov.uk7.