A resettlement programme to help refugees and asylum seekers is being expanded by a county council as leaders said it had risen to the challenge of humanitarian support.

Leaders paid tribute to the strength, compassion, care and sensitivity of workers dealing with people who had suffered trauma "most of us are fortunate enough never to know".

Durham County Council will set up two working groups for supporting asylum seekers and refugees.

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Alan Patrickson, director of neighbourhoods and climate change, told a cabinet meeting support was continuing for people seeking refuge from conflicts around the world.

The council settled 280 vulnerable people in 60 families from Syria, Iraq and Sudan since 2016, it welcomed seven families fleeing Afghanistan since 2021 and took part in a Government-funded UK resettlement scheme which continues until 2024.

Under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, the county took in 431 guests with 186 local sponsors who offered spare rooms or property to Ukrainian citizens for at least six months.

It was recommended to continue the county's resettlement programme and expand it from two to three phases each year.

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Mr Patrickson said: "The council continues to rise to the challenge of delivering a successful humanitarian support programme, helping support individuals coming to the county, providing a place of safety for those in need and helping new arrivals become valuable and valued members of our communities.

"In recognition of the fact some Ukrainians are looking to move on, and will face challenges in finding suitable accommodation, it's proposed to extend an existing model... which provides early intervention to prevent homelessness working with private landlords to overcome some of the barriers to rental."

He said British Red Cross would help new arrivals, a dispersal scheme helped move people to more suitable accommodation and a regional plan would be finished later this month.

He said the county had five support programmes of asylum support and the council's children and young people's service received placement requests for unaccompanied children.

He added concerns had been raised with the Home Office over young people amid reduced deadlines, more pressure and "significant demands" on the UK's refugee and asylum system in a growing global humanitarian challenge.

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Councillor Alan Shield, cabinet member for equality and inclusion, said: "County Durham has always been, and will always be, a welcoming place for people arriving here seeking sanctuary and a place of safety.

"And sadly, events around the world in recent years have meant that more people have found themselves in that precarious position.

"Our humanitarian support efforts stretch across a number of council services.

"The increase in demand has meant that we've had to step up our efforts, provide support and practical solutions for those arriving here in each new scheme and each new conflict.

The Northern Echo: Cllr Alan Shield. Picture: Sarah Caldecott.Cllr Alan Shield. Picture: Sarah Caldecott.

"Each issue brings its own challenges and I'm pleased to be able to report that we have risen to these challenges every time.

"I am confident that our partnerships will remain strong and effective in the delivery of the scheme.

"I would like to place on record cabinet's tribute to our staff who continue to deliver these programmes with care and sensitivity, sometimes dealing with people who have experienced trauma and distress and loss in ways that most of us are fortunate enough never to know.

"They are a huge credit to our organisation and to the concept of public service that we all hold so dear."

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He said he appreciated the "incredible contribution" of partners and colleagues in the voluntary and community sectors who showed "time after time the strength and compassion of the community organisations across our county".

He added the work helped people in need while being sensitive to demands on services and pressures on communities.

Cllr James Rowlandson, cabinet member for resources, investments and assets, said the council used finances wisely "delivering important and effective help" as conflicts around the world "bring challenges and issues to our door in County Durham".

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