We have created two guides to support social workers to: 

• Understand children’s options, 

• Complete applications themselves, where they can, and  

• Support in applications where legal representation is needed. 

Both guides include template letters and detailed guidance to making applications. They are intended as a really practical guide for social workers to give the best support possible to the children in their care,  for their current circumstances and for their future. The guides should always be used alongside getting immigration advice for a child’s specific situation.  

We are working with local authorities in Greater Manchester to ensure that they identify children in care with insecure immigration status and support them to make those all-important applications to resolve their status.  

We started this work with Manchester City Council over five years ago, and they adopted a pledge to identify all children in care with insecure immigration issues, support them in getting legal advice, and support them on a pathway to citizenship. We hope that all local authorities in Greater Manchester will sign this pledge. 

There is a nationwide lack of free legal immigration advice, so it can be difficult to find a lawyer to help. That’s why we are empowering social workers to do some of this work themselves, with our support. There are certain applications for citizenship and other kinds of immigration route that social workers can complete themselves, because they have a role akin to a parent or guardian. However, there will always be some more complex applications that will require immigration advice and representation.