Notes from the Multiagency Meeting, Monday 27th March 2017

Update from last meeting

1. p1 Manuel Bravo – mentioned clients with MH support: Anne B Sanjeev D and MB met and shared info on referral pathways. MB can’t get Legal Aid for MH assessment reports.
2. p2 Discussion of UASC, Dubs and Dublin Three
3. LRF know of 13 young people (16/17/18): LRF now forming a group to support them, especially getting solicitors. 18yo now housed with adults. Still concerns about young people and transition.
4. Leeds Refugee Council may be able to provide help with accessing solicitors.
5. Concerns raised about children (without status) being united with relatives in England (Dublin 3) Dinah reported in Leeds Migration Partnership, see notes below
6. Controlling Migration Fund – no news
7. RETAS no update

Migration Yorkshire

• (Liz) – report circulated in advance – can be found here http://bit.ly/2n89GZ2
• Regional Migration Summary can be found http://bit.ly/2mHwBPs

Regional Asylum Activism

• Move on Pilot for RAS moving onto benefits. Pilot was for 6 weeks now extended til end of March. If you have stories of ppl who have been contacted by MH and then moved on to a meeting with DWP then please contact RAA. If any cases come through with children contact HMRC as well (given Child Benefits and tax credits cannot be claimed without a NINo). Universal Credit – to discuss next time
• Accommodation: Asylum Accommodation Home Affairs Select Committee released in January http://bit.ly/2nmuEFd Forced room-sharing being phased out. A property has been acquired mothers with young children – 8 miles out Leeds: isolated, 2 miles to a shop, 2.5 miles to a GP. Pavement inadequate. Poor public transport links.
• NHS charging – Lorna will give a further briefing – not changing who is chargeable for care but summary on p8 of LMP minutes. Refused asylum seekers expected to pay for all 2ndary healthcare and anything delivered in a hospital setting.
• York Street Health Team contract passing over to Bevan Health
• APPG into Refugees Welcome – Report being launched end of April with a lot of media coverage.

Refugee Week: 

• 19th-25th June – Steering Group has met. Football Tournament to be held the week after because of Ramadan. 
• Youth and Women’s Groups. Cultural Day with Burmantofts Gala.
• Next Meeting Steering group is 12th April. LRF have some money (£700) left from last year. Possible involvement from LMAM

Leeds Refugee Forum have got a small grant (Tudor Trust) to fund city-wide Community Cohesion events. Small budget available. Another meeting booked for 21st April 2017 . Please send ideas through

Women’s Health Matters: Sue Balcombe and Sally expanding services for Asylum Seeking women. New money from Leeds Fund to fund a Well-being Worker to increase connections with MH services. Will have access to bus fares. May also be considering

Richmond Hill Depot due to close at end of June 2017. LRF winding things down.

LASSN recruiting volunteers for both Befriending and English at Home. English at Home should be open to referrals within the next month

Refugee Council: Refugees on resettlement schemes will now be given status. RC planning on moving mid-May near Park Lane College. Quite a lot of space, YAA and City of Sanctuary moving in but anyone else. Joint work with British Red Cross have joint funded children’s worker.

RETAS – revising steps to settlement syllabus for people with very low level of English

PATH Yorkshire – partnership with Touchstone to look at becoming mental health coaches (25 places); PATH to work to help people to move them closer into work (1:1 support) to get a job and sustain the job. 

West Yorkshire Destitute Asylum Network – Winter Night shelter 6 -10 people staying there right now. Please contact if you have any food or sanitary protection.  

Regional Asylum Activism will be known as Asylum Matters from 1st April 2017, and hosted by City of Sanctuary 

British Red Cross – struggling to get Legal Support for clients. CAB and MB are full at the moment. There are in Sheffield and Wakefield but travel expenses are a problem. Children from Calais – having problems with sponsors here, getting financial support and legal advisors. Refugee Council and Migration Yorkshire may be able to offer help and support. 

Learning Partnerships – Susan – running a number of access to green spaces, play and which may play into greater community cohesion. To circulate more information  

Next meeting 19th June, venue tbc