Sixty nine unaccompanied asylum-seeking children need homes in Kirklees - but only five are set to be allowed to settle here.
The crisis in Syria and events in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond has seen an unprecedented number of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Europe.
According to the EU police agency Europol, more than 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees have disappeared in Europe in the last two years.
Across the UK there were 3,000 asylum applications from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children in 2015, a 56% rise.
The Home Office is asking local authorities to resettle 0.7% of their children and young people’s population.
This would be up to 69 children for Kirklees but the Cabinet member involved in the scheme, Clr Graham Turner, said the places were not available locally for such a number at present.
Kirklees Council currently acts as corporate parent for nine unaccompanied asylum seeker young people.
They are placed in foster care, supported lodgings and in supported accommodation.
Officers would have to commission placements from independent fostering agencies and accommodation providers for the new arrivals.
On Monday Cabinet members will be asked for approval to join the government-led scheme to take five children initially, and also take part in the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Programme which would see around 20 people in four or five families come to Kirklees.
Clr Turner, who is working with Migration Yorkshire at a regional level, said: “Councillors were unanimous in our support for the Syrian Resettlement Programme and we have families here now living safely in our communities.
“While this scheme from government is voluntary, I am sure we would want to help.
“We have a long tradition of welcoming people who need our support and I was delighted by the response from our communities when we accepted refugees last year.
“We are proposing a number that we feel we can support and will work with our partners and the voluntary community sector to make sure that is the case if cabinet colleagues agree.
“We are expected to take a maximum 0.07% of our children population which is 69, but we are recommending we only take five this financial year as we simply don’t have the places available locally.
“We need the public to come forward and offer to be involved.
“We will need an increase in foster carers and supported lodgings providers to enable the council to do more.”
If agreed, work will take place regionally with Migration Yorkshire to plan for the programme. Funding is available from the Home Office to cover costs of the placements.
