UASC placed in hotels

27 Jan 2023 in Safeguarding and Child Protection > Asylum >

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Commenting on UASC placed in hotels, ADCS President Steve Crocker said:

“Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are fleeing desperate situations and ADCS members share concerns raised in recent reports relating to children going missing from hotels. They are extremely vulnerable; far removed from their families and local communities which sadly places them at increased risk of being exploited by individuals and gangs. Asylum seeking children are in urgent need of our help and support. We remain committed to working with Home Office and Department for Education to help them find a sustainable and systemic solution to these challenges and continue to make proactive proposals to government.

“ADCS recognises the need to transfer young people out of hotels as soon as possible into appropriate placements. We welcomed the increase in payments to provide new placements but this cannot and will not happen overnight, the placements we need just do not exist. Councils need the support of government to address the placement sufficiency challenges we all face as well as the increasing costs of placements and profiteering from the care of vulnerable children.”

ENDS