A new report co-led by the University of Bedfordshire has called for urgent changes to the UK asylum system to better protect unaccompanied children and young people seeking refuge.
Produced in partnership with the London School of Economics and the South London Refugee Association, the report was commissioned by London Councils and the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services. It warns that children arriving in the capital face significant delays in asylum decisions, intrusive age assessments and a lack of clear legal guidance, leaving many distressed, unsupported and wrongly placed in adult accommodation.
The researchers argue that deep-rooted reform is needed to ensure children’s safety, well-being and integration into society. Among their recommendations are the appointment of independent legal guardians for all unaccompanied children from the moment they arrive in the UK, the transfer of asylum decision-making away from the Home Office to trained professionals, and greater access to free, child-focused legal support.
Dr Helen Connolly, Associate Professor: Children, Youth and Forced Migration at the University of Bedfordshire, led the research for the university. She said: “The voices and experiences of children and young people in this report, and the commitment of the peer researchers and young advisory group who supported this research, make clear that there needs to be significant changes to the architecture of care and protection for unaccompanied children and youth in the UK.
“These need to reflect their circumstances as children with very distinct protection, well-being and integration needs. Redressing the fundamental protection gaps and serious risks in the system, and placing children’s rights, dignity and futures at the centre, is long overdue in the face of strong and consistent evidence such as is contained in this report.”
Young people involved in the study described the asylum process as “long and uncertain”, with delays leaving their lives and futures on hold. The report suggests that speeding up decisions would not only help children but also reduce costs for local authorities by easing pressure on services.
The research drew on in-depth conversations with 15 unaccompanied children and young people across London, carried out by two peer researchers and an advisory group with lived experience of the asylum system. Both groups were trained and supported by academics to ensure that the voices of those directly affected were central to the findings.
Earlier this month, Dr Connolly and colleagues from LSE and the South London Refugee Association joined the peer researchers and young advisory group at a parliamentary drop-in session, where MPs were briefed on the report’s findings and recommendations.
