Herm children will be treated the same way as children from elsewhere in the Bailiwick once the law has been changed again, following concerns raised over their residential rights.
While many may never have realised it, currently a child who is born, and grows up in Herm, can't simply move to Guernsey when they leave school to start work. That doesn't change even if they have been educated in Guernsey and boarded with a local family during the school terms.
The Committee for Home Affairs says 'discretionary powers' have always been used to ensure Herm children aren't disadvantaged but following a change to the law for children from Alderney and Sark, parents in Herm have been asking for formal residential rights for their children too.
Pictured: The States recently agreed to change the law to give residential rights in Guernsey to children who grew up in Alderney and Sark.
The States of Guernsey last month approved a change in the law to make it easier for people who were born and raised in the smaller two islands, the chance to live in Guernsey too. The States were asked to accept the new law because it would particularly benefit those who want to work or study in Guernsey
It also means that those Alderney and Sark-born people who are already working in Guernsey under employment permits will be able to apply for a discretionary permanent permit once their current licence expires.
However, while that States debate was being planned and held, some Herm residents spoke up to ask about their children' rights.
Home Affairs has now said the law will be changed for Herm children too.
“As Deputy Lowe set out in her speech to the Assembly, the Committee is aware that a query has been raised about the rights of children brought up in Herm. The Housing Control legislation did not include Herm and this position was carried over into the new Population Management Law. The Committee however recognises that children who have lived most of their life in Herm need to have reasonable rights to live and work in Guernsey.
"While the Administrator of Population Management already has the necessary discretionary power to ensure a Herm child is not disadvantaged, the Committee has been in liaison with the Law Officers over the extent to which the Law might need to be adjusted in future. However as first step the Committee will be looking to extend the same policy provisions to Herm children as approved for Alderney and Sark children.”
Pictured top: Herm.
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