3.1.5 Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers |
Contents
1. Introduction/Definitions
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and young people over the age of 16 are supported by the 16+ Leaving Care Team within the Children and Families division of Bromley Social Services Department. An unaccompanied asylum seeking child is defined by the Home Office as a young person under the age of 18 making an application for asylum in his or her own right and who "has no adult relative or guardian to turn to in this country"1. These young people may have arrived in the UK by themselves or with an adult who later abandoned them or who does not present as suitable carer or guardian.
UASC are supported within the framework of the Children Act 1989 as Children in Need, and this should be guided by the principle that they are "children first and foremost"2. However, there are also special circumstances facing these young people, particularly the fact that they are seeking protection under the 1951 United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees, which defines a refugee as follows:
'any person who owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear is unwilling to avail himself to the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his habitual residence, is unable, or owing to such fear unwilling to return to it,' (Article 1).
Research shows that the adversaries affecting many unaccompanied young people include traumatic experiences as part of their flight, as well as separation from or loss of family members, and that an increasing number fall victim to international trafficking for exploitative purposes.
2. Referral
2.1 Referrals via the London Boroughs Rota System
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are usually referred to Bromley via Croydon Council. The London Boroughs Rota System has been devised in accordance with the Association of London Governments to deal with unaccompanied asylum seeking children. A referral is usually made by a duty social worker via telephone, but should follow by fax as soon as possible.
The referral should take place before the young person is sent by Croydon Social Services to Bromley Social Services. It is therefore important that the referral is passed on to a duty worker as soon as possible, who should establish the following details:
- full name and date of birth of the young person referred
- country of origin and ethnicity
- languages spoken and whether an interpreter is required
- asylum status (i.e. has the young person made a claim)
- whether or not their age has been disputed by the Home Office
Croydon Social Services will usually place the young person in emergency accommodation (often North London) over night, from where they are sent to Bromley via public transport (train) with directions to Social Services office. It is important to bear in mind that this can influence the time at which young people arrive in the office, therefore appointments should not be booked for early mornings.
2.2 Local Connection
In some circumstances, UASC may self-refer or be referred on the basis of a local connection with Bromley. This is usually if they have a relative or close friend living within the Local Authority area. The establishment of a local connection forms part of the initial assessment process, and proof of address should be requested where appropriate.
There may also be certain circumstances in which a young person presents to Bromley Social Services as first point of call. If this is the case and there is no local connection to another authority, the presumption is that Bromley has a duty under the Children Act 1989 to carry out an assessment to establish whether this young person is a Child in Need.
2.3 Provision of accommodation pending a full assessment
It may be necessary to place and support newly arrived UASC temporarily pending a full assessment, however, it is important to establish as much information as possible and make arrangements for the full assessment before such a placement is made. This includes establishing if the young person has a local connection to another borough.
Department of Health guidelines4 stipulate that while an assessment of their needs is carried out, UASC should usually be accommodated under Section 20, unless there are specific reasons that warrant an alternative response. This could be because the young person has access to suitable alternative accommodation in the meantime.
3. Assessment
UASC are assessed according to the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. However, this generic framework needs to be adapted to their specific circumstances, and should be carried out with an appropriate interpreter (see point 12). The assessment may include the following:
3.1 Age Assessment
An assessment of age is carried out
- if there is no documentation to prove a young person's age
and - their physical appearance and demeanour suggests they may be older or younger than they claim to be
or - if the Home Office has disputed their age.
Age assessments should be carried out by two workers, one of whom should be a senior practitioner. It is important to make the role of Social Services clear to the young person who is being assessed.
The assessment takes into account the following factors: physical appearance and demeanour, interaction, social history and family composition, developmental considerations, education, independence / self care skills and health. Information from other sources, such as carers / key workers or medical reports also need to be taken into account. A conclusion is formed based on the assessing workers' professional judgement on whether or not the available information casts considerable doubt on the claimed age of the young person.
Age assessments are not an exact science, and young people should therefore be given the benefit of doubt.
The young person must be informed at the end of the age assessment whether or not their age is accepted or disputed by social services, and an appropriate interpreter should be consulted in order to explain the reasons of a possible age dispute. The young person must be given the chance to respond to the reasons for disputing their age claim, and this must be recorded. The Age Assessment Form contains a detachable decision sheet, which must be issued to the young person in age dispute cases. Good Practice also entails that the young person is given a copy of the assessment, or that this is forwarded to the young person' s legal representative.
In cases of age disputes, the Home Office (IND) needs to be advised on the outcome of the assessment, as they will usually amend their records accordingly. The last 2 pages of the assessment (conclusion and "form to be handed to the person assessed") and an accompanying letter, outlining that a full age assessment has been carried out and on what grounds the conclusion was reached, need to be faxed to the IND Data Quality Special Project Unit on 0208 760 4888.
If a young person is assessed to be over 18, they may be entitled to support from the UK Border Agency Support. However, under Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, if the Home Office is not satisfied that the young person has made their claim as soon as reasonably practical or that they are destitute, they may not be granted support. The Refugee Council One-Stop Service in Brixton provides assistance with applications UK Border Agency. Young people whose age has been disputed should therefore be referred to the Refugee Council for further advice (see referral letter in Appendix).
3.2 Child In Need Assessment
If a young person is accepted as a minor, the assessment is carried out using the Initial Assessment Form for Children in Need (where a full age assessment has already been carried out the information does not need to be duplicated).
Apart from establishing the young person's developmental needs, the following should be assessed:
- The circumstances under which the young person has left their country of origin and come to the UK
- The immigration / asylum status of the young person and whether they have accessed legal advice. If they have not yet made a claim for asylum, they will need to present to an Asylum Screening Unit (usually Croydon) as soon as possible. The Children's Panel at the Refugee Council can provide assistance with the asylum process and help young people to access appropriate legal representation. It is important that young people have competent legal representation, as the solicitors will be responsible for preparing the young person's Statement of Evidence (SEF), forming the basis of their claim for asylum. However, this may mean that they have to travel considerable distances, as there is a decreasing number of solicitors who will deal with asylum and immigration matters.
- Where appropriate, the details / circumstances of the young person's local connection to Bromley should be established.
- If a young person has been staying with an adult, the relationship to that adult and their suitability as a potential carer should form part of the assessment, and this should inform the decision on services which may be offered.
It is important to bear in mind that some young people may have encountered traumatic experiences, that they may find it difficult to talk about family members or that they may be suspicious towards social services staff. A Good Practice Guide guides on conducting assessments of unaccompanied asylum seeking children has been published by the British Agencies for Fostering and Adoption5.
Where there are concerns that a young person may have been trafficked6 to the UK, the Bromley Safeguarding Children Board, as well as the Police and Immigration Services should be involved. The London Child Protection Procedures, Safeguarding Trafficked and Exploited Children sets out the roles of different organisations and professionals and the course of action where there are trafficking concerns.
3.3 Documentation
Most young people do not have any form of identification, apart from documents issued by the Home Office. These documents are proof of their immigration status and include:
Asylum Screening Unit (ASU) documentation
- If a young person has been accepted as unaccompanied minor, they should have been issued with a special screening letter from the ASU
- This screening letter should contain the date when they need to return to the Home Office (usually within 2-4 weeks). The young person will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult, such as a legal representative, social worker or Refugee Council panel advisor
- If the young person's age has been disputed, a different screening letter stating this will have been issued to them.
- Either Screening letter, or the first page of the Statement of Evidence (SEF) Form, should contain the Home Office Reference number (usually starting with a capital letter followed by several digits). This number is important for any enquiries to the Home Office.
Asylum Registration Card (ARC)
UASC are usually issued with the ARC photo card either on the day of their asylum claim or at their second screening appointment. This is usually their only identification with a photograph. The ARC card states the full name, Date of Birth, Nationality and languages spoken by the young person.
Letter from a legal representative
- If the young person has a solicitor, they should issue them with a letter on headed paper confirming the fact that they will be acting on their behalf in immigration matters and stating the young person's current asylum status
A copy of all the above should be taken and placed on the young person's file.
4. Decision on Services Offered
When a young person is accepted as a child in need for whom Bromley Social Services has responsibility, a decision will be made on whether they should be accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 or supported under section 17.
Where a newly arrived young person has no parents or suitable carers in the UK, the presumption of the Department of Health is that he or she "would fall within the scope of section 20 and become looked after, unless the needs assessment reveals particular factors which would suggest that an alternative response would be more appropriate"8.
However, wishes and feelings of the young person, who may not want to become looked after, need to be taken into account. In some cases young people may wish to live with friends or relatives.
If the needs assessment concludes that accommodation under section 20 is not a suitable course of action, young people will be supported under section 17, as detailed below. It is important to explain the implications of different services to young people as part of the assessment and decision-making process.
Young people who, when presenting to social services, are aged over 17 years and 9 months, will be supported under section 17 only, because they would in any case not satisfy the criteria to receive Leaving Care services. With these young people there will be a particular need to establish which services they may be entitled to when turning 18 (see point 11 ).
5. Support Under Section 17 (New Cases)
The service under section 17 may include accommodation (in exceptional cases), financial assistance and social work support relevant to the developmental needs of the young person. This involves regular meetings with the young person (home visits, office appointments).
The support under section 17 usually continues until they reach the age of 18, or until they no longer require support as children in need through other circumstances. If they are granted leave to remain, young people under section 17 may be able to access benefits (see section on Asylum Status).
Issues around accommodation and support after their 18th birthday, such as application for relevant housing schemes, Housing Benefit, or, depending on their status, UK Border Agency support, need to be addressed through a Transition / Post-18 Plan, and where possible, this plan should be in place no later than 6 months before the young person turns 18.
6. Support Under Section 20
Young people who are deemed in need of accommodation and support under Section 20, will be offered a Looked After service. This is likely to affect the majority of new cases.
The relevant procedures for accommodation under section 20 should be followed. The Admission into Accommodation form, as well as Essential Information Record Part 1 and Placement Agreement Part 1 will have to be completed before the young person is placed.
The allocated social worker is responsible for carrying out statutory visits every 6 weeks and for completing further LAC paperwork, including:
- Essential Information Record Part 2
- Placement Plan Part 2 (Day-to-Day Arrangements)
- Care Plan
In line with statutory requirements, LAC reviews will be held at regular intervals, during which decisions will be made on whether the young person should remain accommodated or become a relevant child.
Particularly young people who have developed good self care and independence skills may after some time prefer this to being formally looked after. In this case, young people will become de-accommodated through a review meeting.
A Pathway Plan should be started after the first LAC review and completed within 3 months. The Plan is subject to regular review, and follows existing procedures for children leaving care but should take particular account of the status and specific needs of unaccompanied children.
7. Young People Formerly Supported Under Section 17
As a result of the Hillingdon Judgement, young people who were formerly supported by LB Bromley under section 17 could be entitled to services as a relevant or former relevant child. In these cases an initial assessment of their current circumstances should be carried out, including issues around health, education, housing, income, social integration and community support and current immigration status.
8. Placements
8.1 Foster Care
Young people supported under section 20 may be placed in foster care if this appears the best option due to their development and vulnerability. These placements need to be requested by application to the Children's Commissioning Team, and are arranged by the Fostering Team. Existing LAC / LCT procedures should be followed for this.
8.2 Supported Housing
For many young people aged 16-17, a placement in semi-independent supported accommodation may be more appropriate, where they receive support from key workers. It is important to take into account that young people may require additional support in the initial period after arrival.
Identifying appropriate placements is an ongoing process. This area will need to be developed in collaboration with the Bromley Independence Scheme and Supported Lodgings workers. A list of currently used accommodation providers can be found in the appendix.
The London Asylum Seeker Consortium (LASC) provide a Semi-independent supported housing schemes. However, most available placements are currently located in North London. A special referral form needs to be completed and faxed to LASC on 020 7934 9660 (see Appendix).
Efforts should be made to place young people within or near the London Borough of Bromley in order to facilitate access to local services.
9. Areas of Support for Unaccompanies
9.1 Health
Young people should be helped to access relevant primary health care services (GP, dentist, optician) as soon as possible after their arrival. This task is usually undertaken by carers or supported housing key workers, and needs to be addressed in Placement / Care Plans.
For young people supported under section 20, a LAC Medical should be arranged as soon as possible, as most UASC will have no previous health records. The Quality Assurance Team should be notified, who will ask for Part A of the Initial Health Assessment form to be completed. This will then be sent to the young person's carer, or upon request given to the allocated social worker / young person's advisor. An appointment should then be arranged by the carer or social worker / YPA with the young person's GP. IN some cases it may be necessary for Social Services to arrange an interpreter, although this should usually be the responsibility of the GP surgery. Where GPs are unwilling or unable to carry out the Health Assessment, further advice should be sought from the LAC Nurse.
The LAC Nurse should also be consulted where there are specific health concerns or difficulties in arranging a LAC Medical.
Because UASC usually have no health records, it is important to establish as part of the initial assessment process if they suffered from any medical conditions or are likely to have been exposed to certain diseases, which may be more common in their countries of origin.
Experiences in their countries of origin or during flight may cause young people to suffer emotional problems. Where appropriate, referrals to counselling services such as CAMHS, Bromley Y or local equivalents should be considered.
The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (details in Appendix) provides specialist counselling and therapeutic support to victims of political violence and has a specialist Child and Adolescents team. However, the Medical Foundation has long waiting times. In some cases, solicitors will have already discussed or made a referral to the Medical Foundation for young people to obtain a medico-legal report as evidence for their asylum claim.
9.2 Education
Young people will need particular support in accessing appropriate education. For many, this includes English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes which are held at local colleges or community learning centres. In addition to this, UASC can access other courses for 16-19 year olds at colleges of further education, and these should usually be free of charge, provided the young people are able to present Home Office documentation. Referrals to Connexions Services should be made with an interpreter booked where appropriate.
Good Practice also entails to encourage young people to maintain their first language where appropriate. Libraries should have books in some more common languages, and young people should be provided with funds to purchase a dictionary. Refugee community groups may be able to offer further advice on language groups.
The Refugee Training and Advisory Service (RETAS - contact details see Appendix) may be able to provide specialist advice on education opportunities for young refugees.
Only young people with Refugee Status or Indefinite Leave to Remain (see point 10.2.1) can apply for Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA).
9.3 Referral to the Refugee Council Children's Panel
The Refugee Council Children's Panel can provide advice and support for UASC, particularly in the following areas: accessing appropriate and competent legal immigration advice, contact to refugee community organisations, advocacy or contact to family tracing services.
If a young person is considered to be particularly vulnerable and in need of additional support, the Refugee Council may allocate a Panel Advisor who will have regular contact, usually during the initial period after a young person has arrived in the UK. However, any UASC can use the drop-in facilities at Brixton (details in Appendix).
9.4 Community Support
Young people should be supported in establishing community links, including access to local religious facilities, youth groups, Leaving Care groups and ethnic community groups. The Bromley Refugee Network (details in Appendix) may provide details of local activities and initiatives for refugees. The Refugee Council in Brixton holds social evenings for unaccompanied minors on Tuesdays.
9.5 Family Tracing and Contact
Where appropriate, a young person should be helped to make contact with the British Red Cross for international family tracing (contact details in Appendix). It is important to bear in mind that this process might take a long time, be unsuccessful or even bring the young person bad news about their family. There are also risks of jeopardising the welfare of family members in the country of origin. Young people should be prepared for the fact that they will only be able to trace family members if they can provide enough details about last addresses etc. It should always be the decision of the young person to undertake family tracing, and the Red Cross will not take referrals from professionals.
The Red Cross may advise a young person to write a letter to their family members if this is possible.
10. Asylum Status
10.1 Newly arrived UASC
Newly arrived unaccompanied minors will usually be asked to return to the Home Office within 2-4 weeks. For this appointment, they should be accompanied by a responsible adult, i.e. a legal representative, Refugee Council Panel Advisor or social worker. It is important to establish who will accompany the young person. Particularly for young people who are looked after social services are seen to have a duty of care in this area. A letter from Social Services needs to be provided for the Home Office to state that the unaccompanied minor is receiving support.
In the first 4 weeks, young people will also need to see their solicitor to receive legal advice on their asylum claim and complete their Statement of Evidence (SEF) Form. In some cases, young people may need to be accompanied to some of these meetings. Where a Refugee Council Panel Advisor has been allocated, they may provide this support.
It is important to discuss the importance of matters relating to their asylum claim with the young people, as well as to liase regularly with their solicitors, particularly if the young person has received a decision on their claim or they are approaching 18.
10.2 Possible outcomes of asylum claims
Timelines in which decisions on asylum claims are reached vary considerably. The following outcomes are possible:
10.2.1 Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or refugee status
Young people who are successful in their asylum claim are granted Refugee Status and Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK. This gives young people the same benefit entitlements as citizens (subject to their status as eligible / relevant children, they may only be able to access DSS benefits after reaching 18). Only young people with refugee status are entitled to refugee travel documents, applications for family reunion and, after a certain period and providing they meet the relevant criteria, British citizenship.
10.2.2 Humanitarian Protection (formerly Exceptional Leave to Remain)
In cases where criteria for recognition as a refugee is not seen to be satisfied, the Home Office may grant a young person Humanitarian Protection on the basis that they would be in danger if returned to their country of origin. This used to be granted for a period 4 years, but is now usually for 3 years or less. Young people are entitled to public funds (i.e. DSS benefits and Housing Benefit) while they have leave to remain.
Access to travel documents is very restricted (young people need to prove they have good reasons for travel and for not being able to obtain a passport from their national embassies).
10.2.3 Discretionary Leave - usually until 18
This is usually granted when the asylum claim of a minor is being refused. In some cases, young people may have the right to appeal against the refusal. If they do not or are not allowed to appeal, they can apply for an extension / further leave before they turn 18. If this application is made within time (i.e. before the Leave to Remain expires), their right to stay (and to receive DSS / Housing Benefit) continues until a final decision has been reached. Current experience is that the Home Office's decision on whether or not an extension is granted can take a long time, and it is important that during this time Pathway Plan discussions address the issue of
10.2.4 Refusal without being granted Discretionary Leave
This is mostly the case if the Home Office have not accepted that the young person is a minor. In this case, the young person has the right to appeal. Appeal hearings can be very stressful for young people. It is important that the young person is supported to access competent legal advice.
11. Support for UASC Turning 18
Support upon turning 18 depends on support arrangements: Section 17 support, except for young people affected by the Hillingdon Judgement, ends at 18. Young people supported under section 20 will usually be entitled to Leaving Care Services as former relevant children. However, their support entitlements depend on their asylum / immigration status (see above).
Young people with ILR are eligible for benefits (Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Housing Benefit), as well as to enter employment. They are also entitled to apply for Council Housing. Housing Applications should be made while a young person is 16/17.
This applies similarly to young people with Humanitarian / Exceptional Leave extending their 18th birthday, with the possible restriction that they may not be offered permanent housing.
Young people who have been granted Discretionary / Exceptional Leave until their 18th birthday and who apply for an extension within time (before the leave expires) are eligible for benefits while the application is pending with the Home Office. They should be assisted to apply for Housing Benefit. Finding accommodation which is covered by Housing Benefit may be difficult. In some cases, agreements may be reached with providers of supported accommodation and Bromley's Temporary Accommodation Department, which enable young people to stay on in their placements after their 18th birthday (if they are eligible for Housing Benefit). Discussion with a LCT Manager, the provider and the Temporary Accommodation department should take place at least 6 weeks before the young person's 18th birthday.
If the young person reaches 18 without being granted status or if they are appealing against a refusal of asylum, they should be referred to UK Border Agency, usually 3 months prior to the young person's 18th birthday, due to the length of time it takes to process each application. Under new rules, young people who arrived in the UK after 8 January 2003 are required to attend an interview to decide whether or not they are eligible for support (Section 55 Interview). Local Authorities have the responsibility to contact UK Border Agency / Immigration to arrange for an interview.
If a young person's asylum claim or application for further leave has been refused, and they have exhausted their appeal rights and have no leave to remain, they are no longer entitled to funds from benefits or UK Border Agency. However, until young people have actually been served with Removal Directions (legal notice from the Home Office ordering their deportation), Social Services may still owe a duty to support their basic welfare needs as former relevant children. Policy and legislation in this area is frequently changing, and further advice should be sought from a manager and, where applicable, Social Services' Legal Department.
Young people should be offered advice on Voluntary Returns Programmes (available from the Home Office IND website or the International Organisation for Migration). However, workers should be aware that some young people might be reluctant to consider returning to their country voluntarily. In those cases it may be necessary to discuss the possible alternatives, such as loss of entitlements to support and subsequent destitution, possible detention and deportation. Although young people may be reluctant to discuss these potentially distressing issues with their allocated worker, they may find practical information and advice useful (such as carrying a list of important contact telephone numbers with them in case of detention, the availability of legal support etc.).
12. Interpreting Services
Interpreting services can be accessed via telephone if necessary, but a face-to-face interpreter should be used whenever this is possible to arrange. Currently the contracted interpreting service for LB Bromley is Croydon Interpreting Service (Contact details in Appendix).
It is important to establish if the young person speaks a particular dialect of a language and request the interpreter accordingly. Consideration should also be given to gender preference, particularly for sensitive issues. The interpreter should be briefed about the circumstances of the meeting.
When working with interpreters, professionals should be careful not to construct too long sentences, because information may be lost in the process. In turn, interpreters should be asked to feed back all parts of the conversation to the workers rather than clarifying directly with clients, particularly during assessments.
It is generally advisable to use the same interpreter if several meetings are needed.
13. Finance/Administration
A 'T' code should be ascribed to each new referral, linking them to payment records. A list of available T code for UASC is held by the LCT Monitoring Officer.
Unaccompanied children are entitled to the same payments as other eligible, relevant or former relevant children supported by the 16+ Leaving Care Team, as detailed below.
| Payment | Cost | Notes |
| Subvention | Currently £44.50 per week | Paid only to young people aged 16-17 (or for former relevant young people aged 19+ in full time education). |
| Travel | Varies | Eligible / Relevant clients only or Former Relevant in Education |
| Clothing | £240 per year | For young people aged 16-17 Former relevant young people are only entitled to discretionary clothing payments if hey are in Education, Training or Employment |
| Birthday | £15
£25 |
Voucher - 16-17, 20-19 Voucher - 18th and 21st birthdays |
| Accommodation | Varies | Paid by Bromley 16+LCT usually only for young people aged 16-17 or in some cases, young people over 19 in full time education.
Agreement by Placement Panel needed |
Appropriate forms need to be completed for payments / accommodation requests:
- Form Funding/Request Form for accommodation and all other regular costs (such as subvention or travel money). These require approval by the Placement Panel, which is held on Wednesdays. Appointments need to be booked for Placement Panel via Maureen Farish (Ext. 7787)
- Form LC3 for Ad Hoc payments (cheque or invoice)
- Petty cash request form for cash payments, which can be collected Monday to Friday from 2pm to 4pm
Payments for unaccompanied children and young people follow separate budget codes to allow tracking of the costs for grant applications. These are:
For unaccompanied minors aged 16-17:
826 002 followed by 2615 for accommodation costs and 2618 for ad hoc payments, followed by the T Number
For former unaccompanied minors receiving a Leaving Care service:
807 150 followed by 4083 for accommodation costs and 4082 for ad hoc payments, followed by the T Number.
Different costs codes need to be used for the following
4076 for Leaving Care Grants
4085 for University Costs
4086 for Travel including taxis
4087 for Phone costs
4088 for Birthdays - to include vouchers
4089 for Personal Care - includes haircuts, laundry, etc.
4090 for Utility bills where this is paid separately
4091 for Education Courses
4092 for Food
4093 for Clothing
4094 IT - to include PCs
4095 Misc - including passports and driving licenses
14. Leaving Care Grants
In line with LCT procedures, unaccompanied minors or young people who qualify as eligible, relevant or former relevant children are entitled to the following Leaving Care Grants:
- The full amount of £1,500 is only paid to young people who move into permanent accommodation, and needs to be spent responsibly to provide for start-up furniture and household equipment etc.
- Young people who are not in permanent accommodation can receive up to £500 of their Leaving Care Grant, out of which a maximum of £250 can be spent while they are under the age of 18
- Young parents are entitled to a maximum total of £2,000
15. Reference Documents/Bibliography
Ayotte, W. (2000) Separated Children Coming to Western Europe: Why they travel and how they arrive, Save the Children, London.
Department of Health (2003) Local Authority Circular 2003 / 13
Department of Health (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, London: The Stationery Office.
Home Office (2002) Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Information Note, Immigration and Nationality Directorate.
Kidane, S. (2001) Food, Shelter and Half a Chance: Assessing the needs of unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children
London Child Protection Procedures
Save the Children (2005) Young Refugees: A guide to the rights and entitlements of separated refugee children, 2nd edition, Save the Children England.
Save the Children (2003) Young Refugees: Providing emotional support to young separated refugees in the UK, Save the Children England.
Separated Children in Europe Programme (2000) Statement of Good Practice, UNHCR / Save the Children Alliance, 2nd edition.
Somerset, C. (2004) Cause for Concern? London Social Services and Child Trafficking, ECPAT UK.
16. Appendices
- Useful contacts
- Accommodation Providers
- London Asylum Seekers Consortium Information on Age Assessments
- Referral letter to the Refugee Council for young people whose age has been disputed
Useful contacts
| Organisation | Address | Contact numbers | Description |
| Refugee Council Children's Section | 240-250 Ferndale Road
Brixton London SW9 8BB |
020 7346 1134
(Duty number) |
Panel of Advisors support UASC with asylum process, establishing community links etc. advocacy
Provides advice to young people whose age has been disputed. |
| Home Office Local Authority Social Services Enquiries
(Special Data Quality Project) |
Tel 020 8760 4527
Fax 020 8760 4888 |
Deals with Local Authority enquiries regarding a client's immigration status. Callers must be registered on Bromley SSD list. | |
| Croydon Translation & Interpreting Service | Equalities Unit
Taberner House Park Lane Croydon CR9 3JS |
Tel: 020 8407 1369
Fax: 020 8407 1358 |
Provides face-to-face and telephone interpreters
Should be used primarily when interpreters are needed. |
| Bromley Refugee Network | Bromley Refugee Network
150 Maple Road Penge London SE20 8JB |
020 8249 1414 | Voluntary organisation supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Bromley. Main focus on support for adults and families. Provide interpreting services and advice in some cases. |
| Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture | 111 Isledon Road
Finsbury Park London N7 7JW |
020 7697 7806 | Specialist Counselling / Psychotherapy for refugees who have suffered violence and persecution
Have a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Team |
| British Red Cross International Family Tracing | Details tba | ||
| Refugee Training and Advisory Service | 14 Dufferin Street
London EC1Y 8PD |
020 7426 5800
www.education-action.org |
Provide advice to refugees and asylum seekers with education, training and employment |
Accommodation Providers
| Provider | Description | Contact details | Further details |
| Supported lodgings | Placement with a carer who usually works full time but is available in evenings | Discuss with Claire Cornelius, Bromley Independence Scheme Manager
020 8313 4330 |
Referral form needed. |
| Supported housing projects | Various supported housing projects with housing organisations (Look Ahead, Stopover etc.) | Discuss with Claire Cornelius, Bromley Independence Scheme Manager 020 8313 4330 |
Referral form for discussion at the joint Housing and Social Services Panel needed
Young people usually must be eligible for Housing Benefit |
| London Asylum Seekers Consortium Project for UASC aged 16-17 | Umbrella organisation commissioning supported housing for 16-17 year old UASC in London | Tel 0207 934 9655 fax 020 7934 9660 |
Currently supported providers include Hillgate Properties and Skyline Properties Use referral form (available on LCT Shared Drive) to request a placement |
| Hillgate Properties | LASC supported accommodation provider | 487 Green Lanes, Tel 020 8886 1410 Fax 020 8882 |
£175 per week for accommodation and support. Provider will also pay young person subsistence and other ad hoc payments upon written request |
| Skyline Properties | LASC supported accommodation provider | 229 Whittington Road Tel 020 8350 4781 Fax 020 8292 5277 |
£170 per week for accommodation and support. Provider will also pay young person subsistence and other ad hoc payments upon written request |
| Jean-Marc Olivier | Supported accommodation in Elephant and Castle All new placements to be discussed with 16+LCT Manager and Children's Commissioning Team |
Abbots Wood Tel/fax 01252 782 992 Mobile 07718 780 919 |
Shared accommodation (Boys-only) - currently under review due to quality issues Some basic support such as accompanying clients to GP registration, other meetings, paying young people subvention allowance upon retest £28 per night at 238a Walworth Road, Elephant and Castle (under review) |
| Christine and Gregory Sophocli | Supported accommodation in Camberwell / All new placements to be discussed with 16+LCT Manager and Children's Commissioning Team |
31 Crofton Road Tel 020 7703 0802 or 07957 133 472 |
Shared accommodation (girls-only) Some basic support such as accompanying clients to GP registration, other meetings, paying young people subvention allowance upon reqest £30 per night at 23 Crofton Road, Camberwell (under review) |
London Asylum Seekers Consortium Information on Age Assessments
Existing Age Determination Guidelines Mentioned in the Judgment
Guidelines for Paediatricians, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Health, November 1999
"In practice, age determination is extremely difficult to do with certainty, and no single approach to this can be relied on. Moreover, for young people aged 15-18, it is even less possible to be certain about age. There may also be difficulties in determining whether a young person who might be as old as 12 could, in fact, be under the age of 18. Age determination is an inexact science and the margin of error can sometimes be as much as 5 years either side...
Overall it is not possible to actually predict the age of an individual from any anthropometric measure, and this should not be attempted. Any assessments that are made should also take into account relevant factors from the child's medical, family and social history."
Draft Practice Guidelines for Age Assessment of Young Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers from London Boroughs of Hillingdon and Croydon
"It is very important to ensure that the young person understands the role of the assessing worker, and comprehends the interpreter. Attention should also be paid to the level of tiredness, trauma, bewilderment and anxiety that may be present for the young person. The ethnicity, culture and customs of the person being assessed must be a key focus throughout the assessment.
"It is also important to be mindful of the 'coaching' that the asylum seeker may have had prior to arrival, in how to behave and what to say. Having clarified the role of the social services, it is important to engage with the person and establish as much rapport as the circumstances will allow. This process is sometimes known as 'joining'. The assessing worker needs to acknowledge with the young person that they will have had to already answer many questions, and that it may be difficult and distressing to answer some of the questions.
"In utilising the assessment framework, the practitioner should ask open-ended non-leading questions. It is not expected that the form should be completed by systematically going through each component, but rather by formulating the interview in a semi-structured discussion, gathering information at different stages, the use of circular questioning is a useful method as it is less obvious to the person being assessed that the questions relate directly to age and hence may reveal a clear picture of age related issues."
The draft document - a pilot project for social work teams looking after unaccompanied asylum seeking young people - recommends that the whole process is carried out over a period time with the involvement of two assessment officers and input from other professionals such as social workers, staff, teachers and other young people.
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