Asylum: Children

(asked on 1st June 2022) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were accommodated by her Department without a local authority assuming responsibility for them between 22 February 2022 and 1 June 2022; and how many of those children were (a) accommodated in hotels upon or after arriving in the UK and (b) were aged (i) 10 and under and (ii) between 11 and 18 on arrival.


Answered by
Kevin Foster Portrait
Kevin Foster
This question was answered on 21st June 2022

The number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children accommodated by the Home Office without a local authority assuming responsibility for them from 22 February 2022 to 1 June 2022 was 355, and they were all aged between 11 and 18 on arrival.

The National Transfer Scheme (NTS) enables a more equitable distribution of responsibility for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) between local authorities across the UK. However, the high number of UASC arrivals, particularly as a result of small boat crossings, continues to place unprecedented pressure on the NTS.

In November 2021, we took the decision to move to a directed NTS, in addition to the package of NTS improvements implemented in July 2021. Since 15 February all local authorities with children’s services in the UK have been directed to participate in the NTS. However, intake remains very high, and the situation remains challenging.

Out of necessity with the children’s best interests in mind, we have therefore been required to accommodate UASC on an emergency and temporary basis in hotels whilst placements with local authorities have been vigorously pursued. We have put measures in place to ensure the immediate safeguarding and welfare needs of young people can be met whilst we find them more appropriate long-term care placements.

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