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The Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) has called on the government to lift the arbitrary cut-off date for applications from unaccompanied children to come to the UK and increase the number of children it will accept.
The BHRC also called for authorities to implement proper procedures for evaluating child refugee applications, including providing access to legal advice and written reasoning for refusals.
The demands came in a critical report documenting the demolition of the Calais ‘Jungle’ camp last October and subsequent failures by French and UK authorities to protect and process the estimated 1,000 unaccompanied minors living in the camp.
The report, Breakdown: the dismantling of theCalais ‘Jungle’ and of the promises to its unaccompanied children, concluded that the authorities failed to take effective steps to safeguard the welfare and safety of unaccompanied children, leaving many at risk.
Children, it said, were subjected to a chaotic and unlawful age verification and registration process, based in some cases on physical appearance alone, and given inadequate information about the process for admitting unaccompanied children into the UK under the Dubs Amendment
BHRC Chair, Kirsty Brimelow QC, said: ‘The unaccompanied children of Calais have faced horror, both in their home countries and in France, in “the Jungle” camp. Nearly a year later, the horror continues as children remain vulnerable to trafficking, abuse, starvation and disease.’
The Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) has called on the government to lift the arbitrary cut-off date for applications from unaccompanied children to come to the UK and increase the number of children it will accept.
The BHRC also called for authorities to implement proper procedures for evaluating child refugee applications, including providing access to legal advice and written reasoning for refusals.
The demands came in a critical report documenting the demolition of the Calais ‘Jungle’ camp last October and subsequent failures by French and UK authorities to protect and process the estimated 1,000 unaccompanied minors living in the camp.
The report, Breakdown: the dismantling of theCalais ‘Jungle’ and of the promises to its unaccompanied children, concluded that the authorities failed to take effective steps to safeguard the welfare and safety of unaccompanied children, leaving many at risk.
Children, it said, were subjected to a chaotic and unlawful age verification and registration process, based in some cases on physical appearance alone, and given inadequate information about the process for admitting unaccompanied children into the UK under the Dubs Amendment
BHRC Chair, Kirsty Brimelow QC, said: ‘The unaccompanied children of Calais have faced horror, both in their home countries and in France, in “the Jungle” camp. Nearly a year later, the horror continues as children remain vulnerable to trafficking, abuse, starvation and disease.’
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
