Calais Update

The Calais “Jungle” is now empty. Following the mass registration and transfer of adults from the camp that began on 24th October, and the mass transfer of the minors yesterday, there is almost no one in either the container units or the unregulated section of the camp.

Safe Passage is currently supporting over 40 live cases in France. All these children have now relocated away from Calais, including the four who had been unable to access to registration with the authorities in the container units and were driven away. Having provided all these children with emergency backpacks and phones (with thanks to Comic Relief) we are keeping track of their locations and seeking reports from each child on the conditions they are in.

Transfers to Britain were suspended late last week ahead of this internal relocation, the Home Office have us on standby for Lunar House over the coming days to again provide accompanying adults. However, we fear that without the pressure of the Calais demolition, the sense of urgency we have seen from both the French and UK in the past few weeks will disappear and the transfer process will again slow, with negative impacts on the children left waiting.