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Not a minor offence: unaccompanied children locked up as part of the asylum system

Report that highlights the pernicious situation of these forgotten children; young people who have arrived in the UK separated from their parents or usual guardians and who are detained in immigration removal centres as adults.

It discusses the circumstances leading to the detention of unaccompanied children, wrongly treated as adults and therefore in extremely vulnerable situations, as their needs as children are left unrecognised. It also recommends changes to the system that should reduce the number of young people whose short lives are damaged in this way.

Details
Published: 
2012
Author: 
Judith Dennis
Publisher: 
Refugee Council