THE WELFARE OF FORMER BRITISH CHILD MIGRANTS
Recommendations
102. A central database should be established
as soon as possible. This should contain basic information which
will direct child migrants, their descendants, or their representatives
to more detailed sources. The database should be managed and co-ordinated
jointly by the governments involved. We urge those governments
to take any steps open to them to waive or amend legislative restrictions
on access to records (for instance, arising from Freedom of Information
Acts or Privacy Acts), and to negotiate changes in any agency
policy which limits the provision of information to former child
migrants or their descendants and not to their duly nominated
representatives. Individual sending and receiving agencies should
make available their contribution of data in an agreed common
form and at their own expense. If former child migrants are reluctant
because of past history to deal with governments then the task
could be delegated to organisations working on their behalf. If
necessary compulsion should be used to elicit relevant material.
103. Former child migrants, their descendants
or nominated representatives should have immediate access to all
files containing information concerning their history and background.
They should be advised to seek preparatory counselling before
receiving sensitive items.
104. Sending and receiving agencies should make
available help with tracing families on request.
105. The British Government should establish a
Travel Fund with the intention of giving former child migrants
the opportunity to visit the country of their birth, attend family
reunions or visit sites of personal importance. Representative
organisations should be allowed to submit applications on behalf
of former child migrants. All such visits should be properly monitored
and supervised, since many former child migrants are in a fragile
mental, emotional and sometimes physical condition. Volunteers
should be sought from voluntary organisations and other appropriate
bodies to provide accommodation and support for visiting former
child migrants.
106. When reunions are proposed, family members
who are to be met also require expert support. Counselling should
be available free of charge. All governments should provide access
to counselling. Sending or receiving agencies whose help is sought
should provide this service at their own expense.
107. Former child migrants visiting the UK should
not be disadvantaged by loss of social security payments during
their stay. In New Zealand the Associate Minister of Social Welfare
indicated that he would be happy to look at what might be done
to help. A memorandum from the Department of Social Welfare in
New Zealand received on 3 July concludes that "most recipients
of income-tested benefits would lose their benefit eligibility
after 4 weeks of absence from New Zealand. However, the current
legislation provides for an absence from New Zealand of up to
4 weeks for humanitarian reasons in the case of beneficiaries
who would otherwise not be able to leave New Zealand at all and
maintain their benefit eligibility."[128]
For social security purposes former child migrants should be treated
as a special case in whichever country they reside. In the UK,
the Habitual Residence Test should not be applied as a test for
eligibility for appropriate social security benefits.
108. Given the positive response from governments,
citizenship matters should not now be a problem for former child
migrants. But in New Zealand we heard from a former child migrant
who had been sent to Australia, and who, now living in New Zealand,
experienced difficulties in travelling between the two countries.
Such discrepancies are a nonsense and should be rectified by the
governments concerned as a matter of urgency. Flexibility and
understanding should be shown to former child migrants by all
governments where documentation is concerned.
109. The invaluable work done by the Child Migrants'
Trust in tracing families and providing counselling should be
expanded. The Government should make available sufficient funds
for the Trust to be able to offer a comprehensive service to any
former child migrant who requires it. In return for adequate funding
the Trust will need to demonstrate full accountability; this may
entail some degree of restructuring of its organisation. Its accounts
will need to be independently audited, which has not so far been
the case.
110. We have seen evidence of former child migrants
who are psychologically damaged by their experiences in childhood.
Therapy and counselling should be available to those who need
it.
111. Markedly different views have been expressed
to us by former child migrants about the issue of compensation
payments. Many believe that such a measure might impede the provision
of records if governments or agencies become unduly nervous about
the financial consequences of irregularities or indiscretions
contained therein. We therefore do not recommend a compensation
payment. Matters concerning identity and background are much more
important to former child migrants. However, we would expect the
full weight of the law to be felt in cases where physical and
sexual abuse against former child migrants can be proven. Courts
should award the maximum possible damages when a conviction is
obtained. We would like to see Statutes of Limitation suspended
in all cases related to the abuse of former child migrants.
112. Legal aid should be available for all court
cases connected with inheritance problems experienced by former
child migrants or where redress is sought for past criminal abuse
and appropriate evidence is available.
113. We ask the governments of Canada, New Zealand
and Australia to consider giving financial support to organisations
in their respective countries who represent the interests of former
child migrants.
114. We recommend that both in the UK and in all
receiving countries there should be a designated official trained
in dealing with queries from former child migrants and making
necessary referrals.
115. We ask the Social Services Select Committee
in New Zealand to undertake a detailed inquiry into the circumstances
of former child migrants there. The Department of Social Welfare
has so far refused an inquiry for three reasons: i) the cost,
ii) the risk of further claims for compensation, iii) the risk
of precedent.
116. We urge the Federal Government of Australia
to initiate an inquiry into post-war practices in institutions
such as Bindoon and Neerkol, with a view to establishing the truth
behind allegations of physical, mental and sexual abuse; discovering
the names of any perpetrators; and prosecuting any surviving members
of staff against whom evidence is available.
117. The British Government should convene immediately
a conference involving all interested parties, including governments,
sending agencies, receiving agencies, representatives of former
child migrants, information technology experts, genealogists etc.
This would allow the opportunity to discuss the problems faced
by former child migrants and to plan for a cohesive rather than
a fragmented approach to their solution.
118. We have received different views on the issue
of an apology for the human suffering arising from the British
child migration scheme. Some felt it to be irrelevant, but there
was a significant number who would welcome a formal acknowledgement
of the wrongs they had suffered. We believe an apology is in order
but think that the best acknowledgment would be for the British
Government to take urgent action on the recommendations in this
report.
128 CM 180B. Back
|