Every year, children from across the world have no choice but to flee conflict, famine, and persecution in their home countries and make an often-dangerous journey to safety in the UK all alone.
According to the government’s most recent report, in 2025, there were more than 6000 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) under the care of local authorities in the UK. The problem is that these children are often overlooked because of stigma and misconceptions about who they are, why they’re here, and what caring for them entails.
Join us as we bust myths about sanctuary-seeking fostering and hear from our community about the real difference you can make when you choose to foster a child who has had no choice but to start their whole life from scratch in a strange and unfamiliar country.
Why these conversations matter
Melanie Murphy, our Registered Manager at FCA Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, explained why conversations around children seeking asylum matter.
She said, “We find that there can be a huge stigma attached to children who are seeking refuge, when really, they have endured hardships that we can barely start to understand.”
“Our hope is that by opening up the conversation and showing the healing impact that foster parents can have on these young people, we might start to see more people come forward and want to make that difference.”
Busting myths about asylum-seeking children
Imagine you’re a child who has witnessed the unimaginable, perhaps lost family members, and then made a long and frightening trip to the UK to seek sanctuary. But when you arrive, instead of being welcomed with open arms, you’re met with misconceptions that make it difficult for you to feel safe here.
This is the reality for many UASC, and the sad fact is that these myths can also put people off opening their homes to them and giving them the care they need. That’s why we’re busting myths about sanctuary-seeking children, so you understand what this type of fostering really means.
MYTH: They lie about their age
One big misconception about UASC is that many are adults pretending to be children to gain access to the country, a home and resources, deliberately lying about their age and destroying their documents to be successful.
The reality is that the opposite is actually true. A report by the Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium found that hundreds of UASC have been mistaken for adults when they’ve entered the country.
This means they won’t receive age-appropriate support and housing, which could actually put them at further risk.
MYTH: They come to the UK for an easier life
Some people hold the false belief that asylum seekers come to the UK to be ‘given handouts’ and for an ‘easy ride’. But the truth is, nothing is easy about uprooting your whole life and starting again in a country where the language, culture, and customs are completely different and where you face prejudice on a daily basis.
For unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, things are even harder. Not only are they living with the trauma of their early childhood experiences, but they also have to contend with navigating a strange new place without the people they hold dearest to them while they’re still learning about the world.
MYTH: They’re dangerous and commit crimes
Another unfounded myth is that asylum seekers are dangerous, here to commit crimes and cause chaos within communities.
As with many of these myths, the opposite is actually true. Sanctuary-seeking children are more at risk of being victims of hate crimes, trafficking and exploitation, especially when they are placed in adult housing by mistake.
They need the support, guidance, and advocacy of a trusting adult who can protect them from further trauma and help them feel safe.
What you can do to help
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children face unique challenges every single day, from prejudice and discrimination to learning a new language and getting used to a new culture.
One of the best ways you can help them is by welcoming them into your home and being there to support, guide, and nurture them. And when you foster with FCA, you’ll receive wrap-around support and ongoing foster care training tailored to you and your foster child, which will give you the confidence to transform their lives.
Lots of our wonderful foster parents are already transforming the lives of sanctuary-seeking children, providing them with the home and family they deserve. They shared their experiences to help others realise that they can do it too.
Fostering couple David and Miranda
David and Miranda live in Hull and have been fostering for around 6 years. Miranda was formerly an independent reviewing officer, working closely with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children as part of her role.
She and her husband, David, decided they wanted to have more of an impact on these young people by opening their home to them.
Miranda said, “After working closely with these children, I realised so much more about the journeys that they had been on and the support that they needed. They are just children, and have already been through so much, so they need people to show them kindness, compassion and a home when they arrive here.”
David and Miranda work hard to strike a balance between integrating their children and young people into British culture and society, while ensuring that their own religious beliefs and identities are protected.
David said, “All of our foster children have shared the same message with us. They are human. And they are just like everyone else. As foster parents, it’s our responsibility to help them. It is so rewarding when you can watch them grow, develop and continue to learn more about the world, but in an entirely safe environment. It’s an amazing thing to do.”
Foster mum Karen
Karen is based in Sheffield and has a lasting relationship with one of her foster children, who was a sanctuary-seeking child from Afghanistan.
Karen said, “When our young man arrived in England, he had absolutely nothing but the clothes on his back. He is still in England today and drops by to say hello. He knocks on the door and shouts, ‘Hiya, Mum, how are you?!’”
“The most rewarding thing is when you see that these children feel safe with you and start to put their trust in you. For anyone thinking about fostering, I would say that the key is that you have to be patient! You have got to remember that you chose to be a foster carer, they didn’t choose to be in foster care.”
Start your fostering journey today
Want to learn more about opening your home to children seeking sanctuary? Call us today on 0800 023 4561 or submit your details via our online form. Our knowledgeable team will have a chat with you about the initial requirements and answer any questions you have about becoming a foster parent.
