Social workers across Greater Manchester are being urged to take action to protect the futures of children in care who may be living without secure immigration status.
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) will launch two new guides on 11 September 2025, designed to give social workers the tools they need to support children in care with their immigration and citizenship applications.
The move comes amid concerns about the estimated 215,000 undocumented children living in the UK. Research suggests that at least one in ten children in care in England are not British, with many having grown up in the country unaware of their immigration status.
Without securing the right to stay in the UK before turning 18, these children risk losing access to higher education, housing, employment and even face the threat of deportation.
Turning 18 is described by campaigners as a ‘cliff edge’, after which many legal routes to settlement or citizenship close. GMIAU says it is vital that children in care are identified early and supported to secure their status, ideally through British citizenship, which provides the most stable foundation for their futures.
The organisation has been working with Manchester City Council for more than five years, helping the authority pledge to identify all children in care with insecure status, connect them with legal advice, and support them towards citizenship. GMIAU hopes all local authorities in the region will follow suit.
Given the shortage of free legal immigration advice nationwide, the new guides are designed to empower social workers to step in where possible. While some applications are complex and require legal specialists, others – such as certain citizenship claims – can be completed by social workers themselves, acting in their role as guardians for children in care.
The first guide focuses on applying for British citizenship, offering clear explanations, frequently asked questions, and practical advice on gathering evidence and completing applications. A second guide outlines other immigration routes available to children in care, ensuring social workers are equipped to take the right action.
GMIAU says the initiative is about giving children in care a fair chance at building secure lives in the UK. Without urgent action, they warn, too many risk seeing their hopes for education and a stable future ‘ripped away’ on their 18th birthday.
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