For over three years, the people of the UK have opened their homes to Ukrainian families and welcomed them into our communities. Offering them safety in the face of Russia’s indiscriminate shelling of cities and the illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory. However, at no point over these three years has our government provided Ukrainian families with certainty or stability. 

So far, the UK government, first under the Conservatives and now under Labour, has refused to grant any permanent status to Ukrainians residing in the UK. The current visa system is strictly temporary and requires extending each time. Which means that Ukrainians face difficulties in securing rental agreements or job offers, and can often feel unsure about putting down roots in their local communities.

This uncertain status also has an impact on Ukrainian children and their education. The temporary nature of their status means that families could be forced to return during a child’s exams, or that children could be uprooted for a second time after living the majority of their lives in the UK. Children need stability to achieve their full potential and young people deserve to make the most of opportunities presented to them no matter their circumstances. 

At multiple different points, and in multiple different contexts, the concerns of Ukrainian parents and the difficulties facing their children have been clearly articulated. As such, those of us in the Young Liberals, as the party’s official diversity AO for children and young people, took it as a sign that something needed to be done.

As such, YL has submitted a motion for debate later this month at Autumn Conference entitled ‘Certainty for Ukrainian Children Living and Learning in the UK’, which will be moved by our party’s Home Affairs spokesperson Lisa Smart MP. The motion outlines a clear set of policies designed to ensure Ukrainian children and their families have the stability and support needed to flourish whilst they are residing in the UK. 

First and foremost, it calls on the UK government to extend visas automatically  for Ukrainians already granted status and residing in the UK, and establish a pathway to indefinite leave to remain for Ukrainians who wish to remain in the UK long-term. These two steps are vital to ensuring Ukrainian families have stability and are able to plan for their futures and the futures of their children.

Our motion also calls for Ukrainian children to receive greater educational support. Crucially, the government must ensure that Ukrainian pupils do not face delays in school enrolment and have access to trauma-informed support as needed. Many children will have faced traumatic experiences and disruption, and to allow further disruption to their education as they wait for a school place would be unacceptable.Other parts of the motion call for actions to help Ukrainian children retain key cultural links whilst living and learning in the UK, and for Ukrainians to receive guidance and support to access further and higher education in order to assist in their transition from school.

It is also inevitable that some Ukrainians will wish to return to Ukraine after the war. Many will want to support the reconstruction of their country and reunite with family members who stayed in Ukraine; and the Ukrainian government itself has also highlighted the importance of resettlement. The motion being put to conference accepts the reality of resettlement, but it also makes clear that the choice to return, and importantly when, should lie with families, who should be supported in whatever choice they make. To this end, alongside reforms to the current visa scheme and a path to indefinite leave to remain, our motion also calls for the UK government to provide support to Ukrainians who choose to resettle to safe areas of Ukraine.

Thanks to advice from Lib Dem Friends of Ukraine, and our colleagues in Ukrainian liberal parties and youth organisations, the Young Liberals have written a motion that accounts for the full-range of perspectives on this important issue. Whether it is the desire for certainty, access to educational support, or the ability to plan for the future, our motion centres the needs of Ukrainian children and their families.

Therefore, I encourage every member to attend the debate at 17:30 on Monday 22nd September at Autumn conference. Please share the perspectives and stories of Ukrainians in your local communities, and support our motion. Ukrainian children need certainty and they need it now. The Lib Dems must step up and demand the government take action and support Ukrainian families residing in the UK.

* Rowan Fitton is Co-International Officer of the Young Liberals.