Calais Jungle: Shropshire Council homes child refugees and is committed to taking in more
Refugees who have been forced to flee their homes in war torn countries have been placed with families in Shropshire.
A growing number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children, who are aged 17 and under, are making their way to England on the backs of lorries.
Eight have been accommodated in the county after Shropshire Council worked together with the Home Office.
Last month it was reported that five unaccompanied asylum seeking children had been rehomed in the county.
Now the figure stands at eight.
Telford & Wrekin Council has currently rehomed three refugees.
Council officials believe the number of those who will be settled in Shropshire could rise significantly with the closure of the Jungle camp at Calais.
Steve Ladd, children's placement services manager at Shropshire Council, said: "Shropshire Council is looking after eight unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
"We continue to work closely with the Home Office through the West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership.
"It includes 14 local authorities across the West Midlands, to secure appropriate and supportive accommodation for these vulnerable children.
"We anticipate, and are committed to, receiving a further number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the coming weeks, after the developments at Calais.
"Shropshire Council is keen to recognise our moral obligation to unaccompanied asylum seeking children, and to play our part in helping to resolve the growing pressure from the closure of the camps at Calais.
"We will ensure that the needs of the children and their interests are served by a move to Shropshire."
He added: "There are a variety of ways that unaccompanied asylum seeking children arrive in Shropshire.
"This includes arriving here by travelling the country in a lorry and being discovered by police."
