WARRINGTON has seen a slight rise in the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children the council is caring for.

Figures from the Department of Education show 20 lone asylum-seeking children were in care in Warrington on March 31 – in line with the year before but up from 18 two years ago.

Across the country, 5,570 unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors were being looked after by local authorities at the end of March – the largest number since records began in 2004 and up 34 per cent on the year before.

The Government said the large increase in asylum seeking children reflects the increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving on small boats on the south coast.

Kent looked after the largest number of asylum-seeking children in England at this time, with 370 in care in the area. It was followed by Hillingdon in west London with 139 children and Manchester with 138.

Overall, 3,972 children were being looked after in Warrington at the end of March, with 220 placed in foster care.

Marieke Widmann, Children’s Society policy and practice advisor, said: “Some may even have been trafficked to the UK – it is absolutely essential that they get the right support and protection in place and quickly.”

She added it is crucial that the Government provides local authorities with the funding and resources necessary to care for children.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Every child deserves a safe and secure home, no matter their background, and local authorities have a responsibility to provide appropriate care for all children in their care."

They added the department recognises the number of children in care has increased, and that it is focused on creating stable homes for them by ‘removing barriers and reducing delays in adoption’.

“We are also investing millions to create high-quality, safe homes for some of the most vulnerable children or to refurbish existing homes, ahead of a bold reform plan to fundamentally improve children’s social care,” they added.