What is in a number? Accessing support as an age-disputed unaccompanied asylum seeker

Brett Davies, Spire Chambers

Unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in the UK are in desperate need of the full range of social care and health services available from public authorities.  Most asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally and claim asylum have undertaken a dangerous journey across many countries. They will likely have experienced significant trauma.  They will now be estranged from their family and find themselves in a country where there are barriers to their integration. So what happens if you are “age disputed” – if the local authority do not accept that you are a child? This article explores why age matters; in broad terms, how age is assessed, allowing any deficiencies or issues with an age assessment to be quickly identified, how it may be challenged, and the support that might be available whilst a challenge to an age assessment takes place. It explores support in the wider sense, the focus is almost always on accommodation, but a putative child should be afforded the full range of services that would be available to any looked after child.

The full article has published in the April issue of Family Law.  Find out more or request a free 1-week trial of Family Law journal. Please quote: 100482

Read the full article here.