Border and Immigration Agency publishes proposals for unaccompanied children seeking asylum, 31 January 2008
In March 2007, the Border and Immigration Agency published proposals for the fundametanl reform of the way unaccompanied and asylum seeking children are managed - "Planning Better Outcomes and Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children".
After consultation with local authorities and a variety of organisations working in immigration and child care, the summary of responses and the Government's proposed reforms were released on the 31 January 2008. To read more click here
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne announced a series of measures aimed at handling child asylum claims "swiftly and commpassionately", including:
- better procedures for identifying and supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children who are victims of trafficking;
- specialist local authorities to ensure that unaccompanied asylum seeking children receive only the services they need;
- new procedures to assess age in order to ensure children and adults are not accomodated together; and
- speedier decisions on immigration status to ensure integration into the UK or fast return to a safe country of origin.
The BIA has also opened consultion on a Code of Practice for its staff, a new requirement under the UK Borders Act 2007, and responses can be submitted until 24 April. To read more click here.
On 14 January, The Home Secretary announced her intention to ratify the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking by the end of the year. At the same time it was announced that the Home Office would be reviewing its immigration reservations to the United Nations Commission for the Rights of the Child.
