In one case, Ukrainians were locked in apartments and forced to work for free, according to the document published by a government department
A lack of vetting procedures and monitoring in the hosting of Ukrainian refugees has resulted in “serious abuses”, according to a new policy paper published by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
It criticised the “inadequacy of safeguard procedures in some programmes, which often involved limited if any screening of hosts, background checks, and follow-up monitoring mechanisms”. Concerns were also raised about insufficient integration assistance for refugees, unmet expectations on the part of both hosts and refugees, and fatigue and burnout experienced by hosts.
It recommended the creation of a single entry point for citizens interested in engaging in welcoming initiatives, and the establishment of a community that allows for the exchange of lessons across hosting platforms and sponsorship programmes.