Migrant Children's Project

The Migrant Children’s Project promotes the rights of migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children and young people and works to ensure that they receive the protection and support they need. We provide one-to-one advice through an advice line and outreach advice work, a range of free resources and online information, and training to practitioners working with young refugees and migrants. We conduct strategic litigation to ensure that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is at the heart of child immigration and asylum processes and social care practice and undertake policy advocacy to promote and protect the rights of migrant children in UK legislation and policy.

MCP advice line

The MCP advice line offers free and confidential advice on the rights of migrant children and young people and issues affecting them, including children who are separated and those in families. Call 0207 636 8505 (line open 10am to 6pm Monday - Friday), email mcp@essex.ac.uk or fill out the online enquiry form.

Resources and information

• Seeking Support guide - this comprehensive, practical guide provides advice to professionals on how to support separated children and young people in accessing their entitlements. Please click here to download the guide for free
• Frequently Asked Questions - online information on a range of common issues, designed to enable professionals and others to take steps to secure rights and services for a child or young person, including information notes on relevant case law, policy documents and links to relevant websites 
• Directory of services - links and contact details
• What's new - the latest news, reports and legal and policy developments relating to migrant children and young people.
• Glossary - explanations of frequently used terms
• Newsletter - our monthly email update provides the latest news and information relating to migrant children. Click here to sign up.

Training

The Migrant Children's Project aims to assist non-immigration specialist professionals to understand the rights and entitlements of this group of children and young people. Training covers law and policy affecting migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children, and how they can be supported to exercise their rights and access their entitlements. Click here for information on our training programme.

Policy and research

The Migrant Children's Project undertakes policy work to ensure that laws and policies uphold and extend the protections available to migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children and young people. Coram Children's Legal Centre co-chairs the Refugee Children's Consortium, a group of NGOs working collaboratively to ensure that the rights and needs of refugee children are respected in accordance with relevant domestic, regional and international standards. The project also publishes research on specific issues, including most recently a report on advice provision, Navigating the System: Advice provision for young refugees and migrants.

The Refugee Children’s Rights Project drew to a close in 2012 but Coram Children’s Legal Centre will continue its strategic litigation and policy work as part of the Migrant Children’s Project, supported by legacy funding from the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. 

The ongoing work of the Migrant Children's Project is funded by Unbound Philanthropy, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Trust for London, Comic Relief, John Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The MCP also recieved a one-off grant from the Stategic Legal Fund for Vulnerable Young Migrants.