MORE than 50 unaccompanied child asylum seekers have come through the port of Poole since 2016, the government has revealed.

Now BCP Council is to receive nearly £100,000 of government money to help deal with the issue.

The money is part of a £28 million pot the government has created to tackle migration issues across the UK.

"The port of Poole has been a significant point of entry to the UK with 51 UASC arrivals since 2016," said a government spokesman. "Bournemouth Borough Council have been active participants in the National Transfer Scheme supporting UASC and local authorities such as Kent and the London Boroughs where the spontaneous arrivals had reached unmanageable levels."

The project has two features, which include 'provision of a sustainable response to spontaneous arrivals via the port/coastline, and 'Community cohesion through the provision of intensive English language tuition and emotional wellbeing support.'

The council will receive £97,500 over two years.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said: "Whether it's tackling rogue landlords who exploit vulnerable migrants, helping new arrivals learn English or supporting care leavers to access education, the Controlling Migration Fund is delivering results across the country and providing services for the benefit of all.

"Each community is unique in the challenges it faces, but the projects we’ve funded have shown that positive change is possible when people come together and think innovatively about how to support the whole community."

The news comes just days after councillors are set to be asked to continue a Poole council pledge to accept dozens of refugee children over the next decade.

This week, BCP council will consider a motion to support the Safe Passage initiative and take in “at least” three youngsters a year to mark the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Transport in which Jewish child refugees were accepted into the UK to save them from the Nazis.

Nineteen councillors in the coalition administration have already given their support to the move while Conservative group leader has said they will also back it, according to papers published ahead of the full council meeting on Tuesday.