View Working Together View Working Together

5.18 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

AMENDMENTS

This chapter was updated in October 2009 when the reference to the National Asylum Support Service was changed to the UK Border Agency.

RELEVANT CHAPTERS AND GUIADNCE

Statutory guidance (November 2009) for the UK Border Agency on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children

See also Child Trafficking and Exploitation Procedure and Female Genital Mutilation Procedure.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Assessment
  3. Contact Information


1. Introduction 

Professionals in all agencies should be aware that migrant children particularly if they are unaccompanied are vulnerable, Unaccompanied asylum seeking child/ren are children seeking asylum, who are under the age of 18 and are not living with a parent.

Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 states that every local authority shall provide accommodation for any child in need in their area who appears to them to require accommodation as a result of:

  1. There being no person who has Parental Responsibility for him
  2. His being lost or having been abandoned; or
  3. The person who has been caring for him being prevented (whether or not permanently and for whatever reason) from providing him with suitable accommodation.

An unaccompanied asylum seeking child should always be referred to Children's Social Care Services and should be provided with the same  individual assessment as any other child presenting as being In Need. Many of these children will be traumatised by their experiences in their countries of origin e.g. separation from their families, witnessing war atrocities etc.

UASCs may experience racism and cultural and social dislocation.  They may also bring with them a complexity of profound and unique differences, which need to be understood and then responded to appropriately

Whenever a professional comes into contact with an unaccompanied child from abroad, the professional should check whether the child is receiving services from Children's Services. If not, then the professional should make a referral to the contact centre in accordance with Section 4, Making a Referral of Contacts and Referrals Procedure.


2. Assessment

Children's Social Care Services should carry out an Initial Assessment, and where appropriate a Core Assessment, regardless of the child's immigration status (see Initial Assessment Procedure).

Based on this assessment Children's Social Care Services have a duty to provide appropriate support and services to all unaccompanied asylum seeking children. In the majority of cases this assessment will lead to them being Accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989.

If the UASC is deemed to be over the age limit a referral should be made to the UK Border Agency.

As part of the Initial Assessment Children's Social Care Services and other agencies should:

  • Use an interpreter
  • See the child alone
  • Obtain a full history of the child and their carers/people they are currently staying with, including a place of birth, date of birth, relationships, where the child has been living with addresses and current immigration status
  • Take photocopies of documents such as passport, birth certificate, visa etc.
  • Understand what significant events have occurred in the child's life, the impact of these and any consequent therapeutic needs the child may have
  • Obtain records from other agencies in the UK
  • Seek information from equivalent agencies in the country/ies where the child has lived.


3. Contact Information

Contact information can be obtained via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the relevant Embassy or Consulate.

End