East Ayrshire Council’s cabinet agreed the proposal after it previously been granted by East Ayrshire’s Integrated Joint Board (IJB).

A total of 50 asylum-seeking families have previously received support from East Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership.

Now, as part of the Syrian resettlement scheme, and funding available from the Home Office, appropriate housing support can be offered to these children.

Through the voluntary National Transfer scheme, unaccompanied children can be moved to other local authorities who are willing to take responsibility for them.

Four unaccompanied children have moved to East Ayrshire and received housing support since October 2017.

Michael Breen, chair of IJB, said: “People are at the centre of all we do in East Ayrshire and it’s right that we extend that compassion to all who need our help.”

Marion MacAuley, head of children’s health, care and justice services, added: “Supporting the transfer scheme is the right thing to do. These are young people alone in a crisis and need our help.

“There is a real willingness in our community to support people in crisis as was shown by the way the community supported the Syrian refugee families.”