MINISTRY of Defence officials have been urged to improve conditions and support for Afghan refugees living at Chickerell Camp.

Conditions at the military barracks are said to be poor with the local primary school doing the best it can with its unexpected influx of pupils.

Ward councillor Simon Clifford (Lib Dem) has praised parents for raising concerns about the situation, asking for a better deal for the refugee pupils.

“The current situation which sees our local school taking on extra pupils and responsibilities but get no extra funding is unfair and must change. It is amazing to see local parents and the community come together to help out, fund raise and give donations, but it they shouldn’t need to. The new Government needs to have this high on its ‘to do’ list and provide financial support where it is most needed.”

Portfolio holder for children’s services and education Clare Sutton (Green, Rodwell & Wyke) said many of the children at the camp had suffered ‘significant trauma and grief’ and were currently living at Chickerell, in what she described as "inadequate living conditions."

“The local school has been incredibly inclusive and working very hard,” she said.

On Friday a Major General who oversees the camp and other officials met with Dorset Council chief executive Matt Prosser and Executive director for children’s services, Theresa Leavy.

Ms Leavy had pledged to lobby for more support, telling councillors:  “I will campaign to ensure these young people and their families get the best support they can.

"I don’t think the camp is going anywhere, anytime soon. I think it’s going to (continue) be with us and I’m reassured that our local children’s services work intensively with them around the clock and that our schools are welcoming the children, while they wait to find a forever home.”

She told councillors that the first families arrived in the early hours of December 14 on flights from Pakistan, all of them Afghan families who had helped the armed services during the Afghan war. Each was entitled to stay in the country.

She said the MoD were currently providing ‘very basic arrangements’ with little additional funding available to support local services.

The director said new families were continuing to arrive, all looking to move on to settled accommodation from the Chickerell base which is classed as a Reception, Staging and Onward Movement site, with those using it only expected to stay for a short time.

“The idea is that these families would be leaving us, but they’re not leaving us in the timeline that we were assured they would do, and are, therefore, increasingly requiring schooling,” said Mr Leavy.

She said her staff had been working round the clock to help, trying to keep the children amused, and supporting mothers, many who had given birth since arriving at Chickerell.

She said local schools has ‘leaned in’ and provided places with only a basic pupil payment, with nothing additional to support specific needs, including translation and trauma support.

“I would remind you that our schools are among some of the lowest funded in the country. For many, many, years this council has been campaigning around that – but we are now hitting towards a clear crisis point … we see that every day with significant challenges around the low, low levels of funding,” she told a Dorset Council Cabinet meeting.

She said children’s services had written to all the schools in the Chickerell area reminding them where they might be able to seek additional financial help, with her staff supporting the schools directly where they are able.

Since the arrival of the refugees there have been several local appeals for winter clothing for adults and children, and toys and other items specifically for youngsters – resulting in January alone in six van loads being delivered to the site.