The Government has announced a new form of leave for children transferred to the UK during the 2016 clearance of the Calais refugee camp.

Once the camp was shut down, 769 unaccompanied children were transferred from France to the UK. 549 were transferred to reunite with family members already in Britain.

Some of the children who were brought over from Calais were not eligible for international protection under existing immigration rules.

However, immigration minister Caroline Nokes announced yesterday that a new form of leave will be created to allow all of the children who were under 18 between October 2016 and July 2017 and who have family here to remain in the UK.

‘We can be proud of our record of helping refugee and other vulnerable children affected by conflict, violence and instability, since the start of 2010 we have provided asylum or an alternative form of protection to over 31,000 children,’ said Ms. Nokes.

‘I am determined that we continue in these efforts and that is why we are introducing a new form of leave, exclusively for children brought to the UK from the Calais camp, so that they can continue rebuilding their lives with their families in the UK.’