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There was no comparable age differential. Some of
Place of Application for Asylum by
Unaccompanied and Separated Children
the boys who entered in the back of a lorry were as
young as seven, although the majority were aged
At port of entry
After entering U.K.
between 16 and 18.
Interviews with practitioners in different parts
of England and Scotland 18 yield explanations for
the disparity in numbers between claims for asylum
2002 1,240
made at a port and after entry. First, an unaccompa-
4,955
nied or separated child is very unlikely to be able to
2003 645
2004 507
2,535
2,380
meet the criteria for lawful entry to the U.K. under
the Immigration Rules 19 as a student or visitor or in
a work related category. Secondly, unaccompanied
or separated children find it more difficult to obtain
their own travel documents. In some countries, a
child requires authorization from one or both parents
before a passport is issued, an impossible requirement
The accounts given by unaccompanied or separated
where parents have already been killed or imprisoned.
children reveal that some of those who applied after
entry had entered clandestinely, having been smug-
In other countries, travel documents are only
gled into the U.K. hidden in the back of a lorry.
available if a person has the sort of political or
More often though the children say they have been
economic influence likely to be beyond a child’s
brought in by an agent who has presented a false
reach. Therefore, the majority of unaccompanied
passport on their behalf or pretended that they are
or separated children are reliant on others, usu-
the child listed in the agent’s passport. One small
ally adult relatives or friends of the family, to
piece of research undertaken by the University of
contact an agent to smuggle them into the U.K.
SEEKING ASYLUM ALONE | UNITED KINGDOM
28
Kent into age disputed unaccompanied or separated
children who came to the attention of Kent Social
Services in the Dover 16 area also revealed a distinct
gender imbalance in relation to those smuggled in
clandestinely in the back of lorries.
The research showed that between February and
May 2003, whilst 39 age disputed children claimed
asylum on arrival at the port, 150 were discovered
to have entered clandestinely. 17 Of the 39 who
applied for asylum on entry 72% were male and
28% were female (which is broadly consistent with
the usual gender breakdown revealed in statistics
collected by the Home Office) but all of those who
entered clandestinely were male.
“I don’t think I have ever had a child arrive at a
port. Most of mine have come [into the U.K.] with
someone who then disappears.” 20
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