On 29 June, Migrant Action in collaboration with Project 17 (a London based charity) hosted advisers from statutory and voluntary sector organisations across West Yorkshire on a one day training session on the theme ‘Supporting families with No Recourse to Public Funds’.
Participants explored a range of issues including; what do we mean by No Recourse? Who is eligible for Recourse and who is excluded? Section 17 ‘child in Need’ of the Children Act 1989 and eligibility for support. Participants also examined these issues within the context of the immigration and asylum Act 1997, the immigration Act 2016 and the European Convention of Human Rights.
Through case study exercises and case laws, participants acquired relevant knowledge and tools to help families with no recourse to public funds better access Local Authority support. The training also identified poor and unlawful practices and bad policy making which create barriers to accessing support for families with no recourse.
Feedback
There was a strong consensus among participants that the learning was an eye-opener and much needed. One course participant later twitted ‘Great training today’. Another participant stated, ‘It was a very informative session and I feel more confident having attended the training’.
By building capacity within organisations supporting people who have No Recourse to Public Funds, Migrant Action seeks to reduce vulnerability among migrants. Overall, through these learning exchanges we help organisations increase their capacity for meaningful advocacy and better service delivery to vulnerable migrants. In doing so, we challenge poor and unlawful practices, influence wider system change and mitigate the impact of the government’s hostile environment policy on vulnerable migrants.
