By Hannah Richardson, Local Democracy Reporter for Leicestershire

Families and children fleeing the war in Ukraine are starting to arrive in Leicestershire, with around 500 expected to settle locally.

The refugees will be welcomed into residents' homes under the Government's Home for Ukraine scheme.

The Government set up the scheme in March, after coming under fire for being slow to let those fleeing Russian aggression into the country.

At the time, the entry route for Ukrainian refugees had been limited to those who have family members already settled over here, and only around a 1,000 people had been able to enter the country.

Around 20 organisations, including local councils, the NHS, police and East Midlands Airport, are working together under the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to make sure refugees have access to vital services and support including accommodation, safeguarding, healthcare, education, translation and employment.

The government describes LRFs as bodies which plan and prepare for localised incidents and catastrophic emergencies. They work to identify potential risks and produce emergency plans to either prevent or mitigate the impact of any incident on their local communities.

"People leaving Ukraine have been uprooted from their home and experienced terrible trauma, said Deborah Taylor, deputy leader of Leicestershire County Council.

"Our commitment to supporting families and children is resolute and I'm pleased that partners have come together so quickly to offer the wealth of support the refugees arriving need."

Leicester's city mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, added: "Leicester has a long history of welcoming those fleeing persecution, war and conflict. We have council officers working hard to ensure that Ukrainian refugees will get the support they need, on arrival and beyond, and we're proud to offer this support."

Last week, a new welcome point opened at East Midlands Airport – one of more than 30 nationwide. It will provide initial advice, information and humanitarian support to people arriving from Ukraine, and the people who have offered them a home.

A YouGov poll for The Times, carried out in March, found that 17 per cent of the public would accommodate a refugee in their home, with a further 41 per cent saying they would be willing to do so but did not have room. People who offer accommodation to those fleeing Russia's invasion will receive a monthly payment of £350.

Bo Prychidnyj, from the Leicester Ukrainian Community Centre, thanked the organisations which have been working together to enable the refugees to come to the county. He added: "The Leicester and Leicestershire Ukrainian Community welcomes our Ukrainian brothers and sisters arriving in Leicestershire. We offer our support and assistance to you all as you settle into a hopefully safe and secure environment."

The number of people expected to be welcomed into the area is based on the visa applications received nationally. The final figure may differ as councils get updated information from the government. More than 80 per cent of the refugees are expected in Leicestershire, with about 15 per cent in Leicester and five per cent in Rutland.