Leeds woman desperate to home Ukrainian family angry at delayed system

Preethi Manuel, 65, is a foster carer from Halton.

She submitted an application to help re-home a Ukrainian family fleeing war after watching distressing news reports on the television.

However, Preethi is still waiting for the family she found online - a woman and her four year old daughter - months on from the application.

She said it had been "one hurdle after another" due to stringent Home Office rules regarding their VISAs.

In a statement released to the YEP, the Home Office said "cases differ in complexity and it is vital that robust safeguarding processes are in place to protect children from trafficking and other risks".

Despite the difficulties, Preethi is persevering and determined to help the family.

Together with neighbours, she has started to grow sunflowers ahead of their arrival - the national flower of Ukraine.

Preethi has called on the process to be sped up to enable other families in her position to be able to help Ukrainians.

She said: "They are from the Donetsk region.

"My application to host them was submitted in the middle of April after watching the shocking scenes of war and wanting to make a difference, however small.

"Following two months of anxious waiting, l am still waiting for this family.

"Why? Because the system that has been set up does not make it easy.

"It has been one hurdle after another as the Home Office rules insisted on biometrics for the four year old, though the mother has an international Ukrainian passport and the child’s original birth certificate."

Preethi said at times she feared the family would not make the treacherous journey as their area was being shelled by the invading Russian army.

"But they did make it to Poland", she explained.

"I was so relieved. I flew over to Warsaw to meet them to ensure nothing more stood in their way.

"We held hands and went out for a pizza and ice cream, l thought now they would be safe.

"But the long wait in Poland in crowded accommodation meant the child kept falling ill.

"It was so serious this little girl was hospitalised and the visa finally arrived but with no one to collect it.

"Reluctantly the mother left the child in the hospital last Saturday and waited for two hours at the visa office in Poland.

"What could l do as a host miles away in the UK and unable to unlock this bureaucratic process?"

Preethi said her MP Richard Burgon had written to Priti Patel twice concerning this family.

When approached by the YEP for comment, Mr Burgon said: "My constituent is one of many people from Leeds and the country more widely who is doing absolutely wonderful things by trying to open their homes to refugees from Ukraine

In relation to her application to welcome a mother and her four year old daughter I have written to the Home Secretary to raise the fact this application appears to be stalled and my constituent has not had any good news or final outcome.

"Unfortunately this is not a one off.

"I have been raising cases for a number of constituents and there have been complications and very worrying delays.

"Worrying both for the people seeking to flee Ukraine and also the families in my constituency giving them a place of safety in Leeds."

Preethi said the process had made the family she is helping "very anxious".

"I have no doubt this family will finally join me in Leeds but why should they be subjected to such crushing bureaucracy?", she added.

"Surely our system must change?

"Sometimes they have lost internet as they were in a basement and unable to contact me.

"English is not their first language so it is hard.

"A simpler process would mean so much less distress.

"It would be less problematic."

A Government spokesperson said: “More than 77,200 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK on our uncapped visa schemes for Ukraine, showing the steps we have taken to speed up the process are working.

"All applications from families are normally processed together by the Home Office, but cases differ in complexity and it is vital that robust safeguarding processes are in place to protect children from trafficking and other risks.

"We continue to make improvements so the Home Office can speed up the process further."