Leading children’s charities, including Coram, Barnardo’s and The Children’s Society, have raised concerns that the Government’s proposed “earned settlement” plans could prolong poverty for up to 90,000 children.

In a joint letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the organisations highlight tensions with children’s rights, despite welcoming the Government’s wider child poverty strategy.

Analysis from the IPPR suggests over 300,000 children could be affected, with some families facing extended routes to settlement of up to 10, 15 or even 30 years.

The charities are calling for existing ‘private life rules’ to be retained and have raised concerns about proposed changes to family returns, including limits to asylum support and the treatment of children during enforced returns.

They stress the importance of prioritising children’s rights, including access to legal representation and safeguards against detention, and welcome the Government’s commitment to undertake a Child Rights Impact Assessment