Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safeguards in place to prevent the immigration detention of unaccompanied children for over 24 hours.

The Government takes its safeguarding responsibilities towards children extremely seriously.

Unaccompanied children may only be detained in very limited and exceptional circumstances, and the law places strict constraints on that detention. They may not be held in an Immigration Removal Centre under any circumstances. They must be transferred into appropriate local authority care arrangements wherever possible. An unaccompanied child may only be held in a short-term holding facility for a maximum of 24 hours for the purpose of removal.

A range of safeguards are in place to minimise detention and protect child welfare. These include the requirement to prioritise cases involving children, early referral to and engagement with local authority children’s services, a statutory duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote children’s welfare, and a requirement that detention is for the shortest time necessary. Decisions involving children are subject to oversight and operational guidance that is subject to ongoing review and updates to ensure the welfare and best interests of children remain a primary consideration.