A discussion paper by John Bercaw MP, Lord Dubs and Evan Harris MP
for the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Children and Refugees
Supported by the No Place for a Child Coalition
July 2006
A discussion paper by John Bercaw MP, lord Dubs and Evan Harris MP
for the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Children and Refugees
Supported by the No Place for a Child Coalition
July 2006
Preface
Each year, the UK detains around 2,000 children with their families for the purposes of immigration control. Many of these families are here to seek asylum, some have overstayed their visas and others are victims of trafficking. The decision to detain these children is an administrative one and does not require any judicial sanction their detention is subject to neither independent scrutiny nor time limit. Many of these families have complex immigration or asylum cases, and have experienced trauma and distress. Their children’s health, education and emotional needs are rarely met in detention centres.
This policy makes a mockery of child rights legislation. The detention of these children runs contrary to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – though the Government’s existing reservation to the UNCRC in relation to immigration means that children are excluded from its protection. Furthermore, the Government’s stated aim in its flagship children’s policy, Every Child Matters, is for “every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to: be healthy; stay safe; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution; achieve economic well-being… Contrary to government assurances that this also applies to asylum-seeking children, it is clear that in some cases not every child matters. Continue reading “Alternatives to detention for children and families”
More than 1,300 children were held at UK immigration removal centres during a 15-month period, the government says.