For many months now I, like so many others, have been working and praying to see the government act to provide refuge for unaccompanied refugee children. Home for Good's appeal in September showed more than 10,000 British families were willing to step up and offer sanctuary. So when I read the headline that the UK government has decided to accept 3000 refugee children my heart leapt.

However, this promise, although good in parts, is not what it seems and not what has been asked for. With a vote to press the Government to act happening in Parliament next week, we need to look at what is behind this announcement, and what still needs to be done. Sadly the timing of the announcement may be particularly underhand.

1. It is unlikely to mean 3,000 children come to the UK

The fine print of the government's statement shows that it will be helping those that come into the "Children at Risk" category and that through this route they "will resettle the most vulnerable children, accompanied by their families". It goes on: "We will commit to resettling several hundred individuals in the first year with a view to resettling up to 3,000 individuals over the lifetime of this parliament, the majority of whom will be children."

I have to commend the government for expanding its promise to bring vulnerable refugee people to safety in the UK. This is a commitment to help 3,000 more refugees on top of its previous commitment to accept 20,000 over the next five years. Although only a fraction of the millions who need humanitarian aid as a result of displacement, this is at least something to celebrate as it is the first time the government has given a concrete numerical commitment since September 2015, despite increasing pressure from all fronts.

However when the government states the figure of 3,000, this does not guarantee places for 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children, which campaign groups such as Save the Children and Home for Good have been lobbying for. Although the government says "the majority of whom will be children", its current practices and caveats regarding resettlement will diminish the figure significantly, perhaps to only a few hundred. This is of serious concern to all working groups campaigning to help to help those most vulnerable from the displacement. The scheme is due to be reviewed after two years, which is of little use to the children in desperate need right now.

2. It is resettlement, not refuge

Because the government remains fixated on using the UNHCR resettlement route it is very unlikely that more than a small minority of those coming to the UK will be unaccompanied children. UNHCR says resettlement is not the right mechanism to help unaccompanied children and so it is almost never used.

The best parallel I can think of is this: we know unaccompanied children are especially at risk of sexual exploitation. Imagine that you became aware that your neighbour was sexually abusing their children. As much as you may like to, you cannot in the UK simply remove the children and adopt them yourself. There is a full and clear legal process needed to substantiate the allegation and identify appropriate carers or adopters for the children.

Resettlement is the equivalent of adoption. It is a permanent status conferred on refugees and is almost never given to unaccompanied children as there would have to be lengthy, legally secure proceedings to substantiate not only their lack of immediate family to care for them, but lack of wider family also, and no amount of research could guarantee that a relative would not emerge later to be reunified with the child. Because unaccompanied children do not meet the criteria for resettlement, despite being at the greatest risk they are overlooked for help. No unaccompanied children have so far come to the UK through the resettlement scheme.

Campaign groups are therefore unimpressed with the government's promise and are reiterating their request that the UK provide refuge to 3,000 unaccompanied children in Europe who are in danger. We should provide help and assistance, housing and loving families to children who have lost their homes through war, and then their families through separation or bereavement. This does not need to be full-scale resettlement as we recognise that reunification with families is not only possible but potentially best for the children. But while they wait they should be safe and secure and not abandoned in their desperate need.

3. It ignores the vulnerable refugee children in Europe

The government is refusing to engage with the unaccompanied child refugee crisis in Europe. This may relate to  to the political hot potato that Europe is at the moment because of the European referendum. But just because we are considering our political and economic ties to Europe, this does not mean that we can neglect our undisputed moral ties with our neighbours. 

Save the Children's research indicate that there are over 26,000 unaccompanied children in Europe who are extremely vulnerable to abduction and people trafficking and has suggested that 3,000 children represent our "fair share". Personally I would love to see what David Cameron promised in his initial comments about helping refugees, "the modern day equivalent of Kindertransport", with at least 3,000 refugee children being given safe passage and safe haven in the UK.

4. It seems to be a way of avoiding defeat on Monday

The timing of the announcement and the fact that the number 3,000 has been used makes it appear that the government is giving what has been asked for by campaigners for months now. But in actual fact it may just be a way of avoiding defeat in the House of Commons on Monday when an important amendment is to be debated.

The original Kindertransport saw 10,000 Jewish children rescued from the gas chambers of the Nazi concentration camps and homed around post-war UK. Lord Dubbs was one of those children. Now 83 years old, he has already persuaded the House of Lords to pass an amendment to the Immigration bill that would ensure the UK receives 3,000 unaccompanied children currently vulnerable and in danger in Europe.

However, for this to become reality, it must pass through the House of Commons on Monday at 2.30pm. Because of the government's announcement last Thursday, it is highly likely that this important amendment will now just be conveniently brushed aside. Lord Dubbs' response is: "While I welcome this proposal, it doesn't deal sufficiently with the substance of my amendment. You also have to wonder whether the use of the 3,000 figure is a deliberate ploy to muddy the debate."

So what can you do this weekend?

Some people might rightly worry that the UK is not prepared to receive 3,000 refugee children who would come into the care system as foster children. Fostering Network calculates that the UK is now 9,000 foster families below capacity and so there is already a need to find more foster carers to look after children. Home for Good is working hard to significantly reduce this deficit. Seven months ago Home for Good appealed to find for foster carers who would be willing to look after refugee children.

We had 10 000 responses from families wanting to help in a wave of unprecedented compassion towards the plight of refugee children. Because the UK is yet to receive any unaccompanied refugee children through the resettlement programme, not many of those families have been able to start the process to become foster carers. However, I believe that we must and we can meet the need to look after all the children who need a home.

This is what you can do, and what I would ask you to do as a matter of urgency before Monday at 2.30pm.

Write

The immigration bill will be discussed in Parliament on Monday (April 25). Can you call on your MP to vote to uphold the amendment that would allow 3,000 unaccompanied children to come to the UK from Europe? The simplest way to help is to visit this website that allows you to directly email your MP. Ask them to support the Lord Dubs Amendment, you can point them to Home for Good's briefing on the subject.

Campaign

Please share this article as widely as you can over the weekend on whichever forms of media you use, adding your own reasons why you believe we as a nation should act decisively and urgently for the sake of these children.

Pray

We need to celebrate that the government has promised to be more welcoming, but we also need to pray for the tens of thousands of lost and vulnerable unaccompanied refugee children in Europe to find safety and refuge. Pray for MPs to vote with their consciences and with their own children in mind as they consider this amendment.

Give 

Home for Good has been working tirelessly with the Home Office, Department of Education, churches, local authorities and charities like Save the Children, Barnados and Action for Children. We don't currently have anything like the budget that these other agencies have at their disposal to continue the work of advocating on behalf of vulnerable refugee children and mobilising ordinary people to make a practical difference. You can give here.