The number of young asylum seekers (aged under 18) rose from 1,600 applications in 1997 to over 13,000 in 2002. Many of these young people – nearly 6,000 in 2002 – enter the country unaccompanied by a parent or responsible adult.
Young asylum seekers and refugees form a highly diverse group, coming from many different countries and cultures from around the world. They are also a particularly vulnerable group, often at risk from trafficking, prostitution, poverty, homelessness and crime. Many have traveled huge distances, encountered horrific experiences at home or on their journey to the UK, and lost parents or family members.
The experiences of these young people when they arrive in the UK can add to their problems. As well as needing protection from direct discrimination and racism, they also need special consideration from all agencies to ensure that their needs are assessed and met. They have a wide range of social, educational, psychological and health needs, yet often little idea about how to access help when it is available.
Statutory services can also get confused over their responsibilities to this group and further exclusion can result. Working with young asylum seekers and refugees can be challenging, as many are afraid to share accurate information about themselves and their needs with professionals in the UK whose roles they do not understand.
Many young asylum seekers, particularly unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) are referred to local social services departments for help. Indeed, UASC now make up 10% of all those in local authority care and represent over 50% of the care population in some local authority areas.
Some come into contact with youth offending teams (YOTs) as a result of their involvement in criminal activity. While the reasons behind their offending can be varied and complex, many commit offences to finance basic needs. The failure of statutory services to adequately plan can be a major contributing factor. In particular, the failure to protect young people from unsuitable adult pressures can lead young asylum seekers and refugees into involvement in organised crime networks.
YOT workers in areas where there are high volumes of young asylum seekers often feel overwhelmed by the lack of clarity about how to best meet the needs and address the offending behaviour of this group of vulnerable young people. Confusion over the asylum system, access to benefits, age assessment, accommodation, education, language difficulties and ultimately removal from the UK can all prove significant problems to YOTs in trying to access services and reduce offending. It is often difficult to ensure that the youth court has accurate basic information. Casework can take up a vastly disproportionate amount of time as a result.
The guidance and information in this area has been developed in close consultation with the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), as well as the Refugee Council, the Connexions Service and other key agencies. It is also based on invaluable input from YOT and youth court staff during a consultation event in May 2003.
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