Illegal Migration Bill

20 Jul 2023 in Safeguarding and Child Protection > Asylum >

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ADCS President John Pearce said:

“All children, irrespective of where they were born, have the right to a safe and supportive environment with access to the services they require. ADCS is clear that all new legislation must be child focussed and protect their rights, however, the Illegal Migration Bill will have a lasting and damaging effect on children in our care who are fleeing desperate situations. The legislation runs counter to a number of our fundamental responsibilities set out in the Children Act 1989 as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that in all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration. ADCS remains deeply concerned about the Illegal Migration Bill’s impact on those children and young people who need our support the most. Not only is this entirely inconsistent with the government’s own vision for children in our care as set out in ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, it will irreversibly distort the care system and create an incentive for children to run away before they turn 18 to avoid being returned to their home country, therefore placing them in danger of being exploited. The care system is not, nor should it, a holding mechanism for the immigration system.”

ENDS