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Some social services departments do supply a social
worker to act as the responsible adult and in North
Shields, for instance, the Immigration Service does
not screen an unaccompanied or separated child
unless a social worker is present. 10 Other social services
departments maintain they do not have sufficient
staff to do this.
Unlike for adults, the Legal Services Commission
does fund a legal representative to accompany
an unaccompanied or separated child to a screening
interview. 11
of child trafficking. 15 Unaccompanied or separated
children who are interviewed often appear to have
However, the research reveals that many unac-
misunderstood the purpose of their screening inter-
companied or separated children are not able to
view and feel frustrated by what they perceive as a
obtain legal representation before the screening
refusal by the interviewer to listen to their accounts
interview takes place or that when they find a
of persecution. The use of screening interviews to
legal representative this person does not always
test an unaccompanied or separated child’s national-
have the appropriate training or experience to
ity and age also confuses and upsets them.
represent unaccompanied or separated children
effectively.
“They asked me who my president was, what flag
of my country is, why I have problems, and why
The Legal Services Commission is aware of this
my father was killed by the government. I felt very
problem: in November 2005, its Immigration Policy
bad so I started crying. At that point the Home
Team launched a consultation 12 on proposals to
Office interviewer stopped the interview. I was
contract with firms capable of representing children
afraid because I didn’t understand what asylum
SEEKING ASYLUM ALONE | UNITED KINGDOM
102
to provide a duty scheme at the two Asylum Screening
Units. 13 The aim of the scheme is to ensure that
every unaccompanied or separated child is appropriately
represented at their screening unit interview.
The on-site legal adviser will be expected to liaise
with social services about accommodating the unaccompanied
or separated child, if this has not already
been done, and for transferring their case to a firm
listed on a specialist Immigration and Children Panel.
The Level 1 14 Screening Form used is identical
to the one designed for adults. It is largely concerned
with the child’s identity and family and the journey
to the U.K. Additional questions are asked where
appropriate, for example if the unaccompanied or
separated child reveals he or she has been a victim
and refugees were.... She kept asking me questions
that I didn’t understand.” 16
“They asked me how I came. Why I came. Did
I know what asylum was? What did I eat on the
plane? They were bullying me and didn’t let me
tell my story or give me room to explain why
I was there. They just wanted to taunt me. I have
seen a lot more than most 16 year olds have seen
but they didn’t want to hear my story. In fact once
they started questioning you, they actually know
already what they are going to do. From the first
minute they’ve already decided whether you can
stay or not. There’s a lot of ignorance. They totally
don’t know what is going on in my country.” 17
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