Revelations to the Guardian that more than 500 children who left the war without their parents have been stuck in a stalemate across Europe after applying to the Homes for Ukraine program. Most are teenagers who thought they would be eligible and have British families waiting to host them, but have not heard anything from the Home Office. The announcement could only be made on Wednesday, according to a Daily Telegraph report, which said people under the age of 18 would be allowed to come to Britain unaccompanied if they had written permission from a parent or legal guardian. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST An Interior Ministry spokesman did not confirm any details, but did not deny that an announcement was expected Wednesday. It goes without saying that the policy will be part of the Homes for Ukraine program. Teenagers traveling without their parents were initially accepted for visas under Homes for Ukraine. A policy was then introduced banning people under the age of 18 from traveling without their parents or legal guardian, but the Home Office did not offer a decision or solution to all those who applied before it was enacted. Beth Gardiner-Smith, CEO of Safe Passage International, said: “We welcome the reports that a new route for unaccompanied children from Ukraine will be created. It should not be so long, however, as the children were virtually abandoned with the promise of a visa, which was never fulfilled, as the government was late in what to do. “Many children, already wounded by the war, are alone, distressed and vulnerable, with their young lives on hold.” Nazarii, 17, has been waiting for an Interior Ministry decision from his village in western Ukraine for more than two months as warplanes fly overhead. No progress has been made on his case since the Guardian first reported it in early May and he has not heard from the department. An assistant professor and her family in Hampshire have been ready to host him since the application was submitted in early April. Nazari said he considered it “impossible” to wait and lack information from the Interior Ministry and was relieved that it could be resolved soon. “I am very happy,” he said. “I hope now that everything will go well with the application.” Labor Party ally Alf Dubs said the government would actually return to its original position, leaving teenagers alone to wait in precarious situations. “There was complete incompetence, if not bad faith, all the time … What the government is doing is unacceptably awful,” he said. A government spokesman said: “It is tragic that children are trapped in Putin’s war. We have a responsibility to keep children safe and, as the public rightly expects, we have put in place strong procedures to protect them once they arrive in the country, in close cooperation with councils across the country. “Only those under the age of 18 traveling or reuniting with a parent or legal guardian in the UK are currently eligible for Homes for Ukraine, but as we have always said, we remain eligible for all of our plans under consideration.”
