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Chapter 14 | Policy and Practice Recommendations
Chapter 7
Accommodation and Care of
Unaccompanied or Separated Children
2005 Reform for accommodating
unaccompanied or separated children
The U.K. Government has reviewed its approach
to the accommodation of unaccompanied or separated
children and is presently consulting on a
reform program The impetus for this reform programme
is the fact that local authorities close to
ports of entry are providing accommodation for
the majority of unaccompanied or separated children
and that when the children become 18 the
authorities have ongoing duties to support them
if they are in further education. 19 The Government
has considered placing unaccompanied or separated
children with selected partner local authorities
operating as specialist regional resources. However,
child care practitioners are concerned that the
proposed reform will undermine the fundamental
principle underpinning the Children Act 1989,
that every local authority owes a duty to safeguard
the welfare of all children in need within their
geographic area irrespective of their immigration
status.
Reluctance to accommodate children under
section 20 of the Children Act 1989
Some local authorities are reluctant to accommodate
children under section 20 of the Children Act
1989 and provide them with foster placements or
supported hostel placements. Instead they choose
to assist them under section 17 of the Children Act
1989 and place them in what amounts to bed and
breakfast accommodation, thus minimizing their
contact with the children. The detrimental effect
this may have on unaccompanied or separated children
was identified in a pilot study which found that
unaccompanied or separated children were 18% less
likely to suffer symptoms of post traumatic stress
disorder associated with past persecution and trauma
if they were placed in foster care as opposed to independent
or semi-independent accommodation.
Trauma experienced by unaccompanied
or separated children
Our research identifies certain common needs among
unaccompanied or separated children which are not
addressed by those caring for them. A pilot study of
50 unaccompanied or separated children discovered
that 54% of these children showed symptoms of
post traumatic stress disorder. Many of these children
had experienced serious injury, armed combat,
or the murder of relatives or friends. Despite this, the
research showed that children were not always referred
for a psychiatric assessment or offered the opportunity
to talk to a counsellor and there was a general lack
of awareness amongst social workers of the extent
of these children’s trauma and specific needs.
Identification of psychological needs
Despite the entitlement of unaccompanied or
separated children to free National Health Service
treatment, neither the Department of Health nor
the Department for Education and Skills have
adopted any national plan or referral system to
ensure that these children’s psychiatric and psychological
needs are identified.
No dissemination of positive practice
There is no national strategy to ensure that existing
good practice is disseminated and shared nationwide.
The specialist treatment and counselling
available is a result of individual initiatives devised
by general practitioners and consultants to meet
demands from their patients and clients. Many
unaccompanied or separated children are not able
to access the three existing centres of excellence
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