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It is clear that the Rules are a positive development
not be fully explored. There is also some concern
to meet legitimate child protection objectives. They
that the new Rules will place considerable barriers
are also a response to growing concerns about the
in the way of families seeking to send their children
number of unaccompanied or separated children
abroad to safety as visitors. In times of crisis they may
trafficked into the U.K. for the purpose of benefit
well not be able to comply with the new requirements
fraud or sexual or domestic exploitation or who
and therefore will have to rely on illegal methods of
were being sent to private foster placements which
entry and place their children in the hands of smug-
were both illegal and potentially abusive.
glers who may turn out to be traffickers.
However, the Rules also assist the Government
with its plans to remove children from the U.K.
when their asylum claims have been unsuccessful.
4.3 Tackling Child Trafficking
As the Home Office explains:
The changes will create an official and accessible record
which is not there at the moment. These measures
The Home Office has recognized that collection
of data and research is an essential
prerequisite to the successful identification
are aimed at tackling some of the problems associated
of trafficked children and other children at risk of
with unaccompanied minors arriving in the United
harm. In 2003 it took part in an operation entitled
Kingdom, chief of which is the lack of information
Operation Paladin Child 16 at Heathrow Airport.
about their circumstances in their home country. They
This operation was led by the Metropolitan Police and
will contribute to the ability to act, where necessary,
funded by Reflex. 17 It was supported by the Immi-
when individual children come to attention after arrival
gration Service, the London Borough of Hillingdon,
for welfare or other reasons.... The records which this
and the National Society for the Prevention of Cru-
provision will allow us to keep will be a deterrent to
elty to Children (NSPCC).
abuse, as all of those involved in the child’s travel will
During the period of Operation Paladin Child,
be traceable.
which was from 26 August to 23 November 2003,
SEEKING ASYLUM ALONE | UNITED KINGDOM
44
This policy may be of benefit in reuniting unaccompanied
or separated children with their families at a
later stage in the asylum determination process, but
the large amount of additional information about
the child’s origins does not necessarily contribute
to this goal, particularly when families are displaced
and uprooted. Whether or not the new Rules will
be helpful or detrimental to the welfare of children
will depend upon future practice. The research
revealed concern on the part of a number of nongovernmental
organizations that the imperative
of reducing the number of asylum seekers coming
to the U.K. might take precedence and the risk of
returning a child to a named family member may
1,904 unaccompanied or separated children arrived
at Heathrow Airport from non European Union
countries. Of these, 166 claimed asylum and were not
assessed further. Another 1,738 stated that they were
going to join adults who were not their parents. 18
Five hundred and fifty one children were “risk
assessed in” for further evaluation. A significant
minority were from Nigeria, South Africa, and
Ghana, countries where there was already evidence
that children were being trafficked into Europe for
sexual exploitation in prostitution and pornography.
19 In addition, as many of the children appeared
to be visiting adults with whom they had had little
prior contact, there was concern 20 that exploitative
private fostering arrangements were being made. 21
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