Migrant Children in the Yorkshire and Humber Region

Migrant Children in the Yorkshire and Humber Region

Counting Migrant Children

February 2009

Written and developed by:

Vicky Williams

Yorkshire and Humber Regional Migration Partnership

Contents

Executive Summary Page 4 – 6

1. Purpose Page 7

2. The Need for a Regional Strategy Page 7 – 9

3. Counting Migrant Children

Introduction Page 10

4. Researching Migrant Children

4.2 Methodology Page 11

4.2 National Grants of Settlement Page 12

4.3 NINO and WRS Data Page 15

4.4 Child Benefit Data Page 18

4.5 Asylum Seekers and Refugees Page 20

4.6 UASC Page 22

5. Statistical Data Summary Page 23

6. Conclusions and Recommendations Page 24 – 26

7. Bibliography Page 26 - 28
Executive Summary

Introduction

1.0 Yorkshire and the Humber has a long and proud history of receiving new migrant communities and has delivered a consistent and successful service to asylum seekers and refugees since the inception of the national dispersal programme in 1999.

1.1 With EU Accession in 2004 and continued high levels of international migration into the UK, the issues facing local government in having to respond to fast changing population increases and movement, has once again placed immigration at the top of the national, regional and local agenda.

1.2 Yorkshire and the Humber is the largest regional provider of asylum support, accounting for around 20% of all asylum dispersal accommodation. In 2006/07 the region received 41,640 NINO registrations from non-UK nationals (6% of the UK total). 23,080 applications were from EU accession state nationals (A8 and A2 states); around 8% of the UK total.

1.3 Between 2002 and 2008, 177,770 adult non-UK nationals registered for work in the Yorkshire and Humber region. In 2007, the region’s universities had over 27,000 international students.

Source: Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Yorkshire and Humber, 1999-2008 – Lewis, Craig, Adamson and Wilkinson 2009

Purpose

2.0 The purpose of this report is to ascertain the numbers and consider some of the key impacts of migrant children in the region.

2.1 The scoping exercise will seek to provide a critical overview of the settlement of migrant children across the region and will begin to enable a more strategic approach to service planning, provision and mainstream inclusion in key regional and local strategies.

2.2 The term migrant will be used throughout this report to refer to asylum seekers, unsuccessful asylum seekers, unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), refugees and other migrants. This terminology is consistent with that used by the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

2.3 Although the purpose of this report is not the development of a regional strategy for migrant children, there is a clear gap of knowledge and understanding available regarding this group of children, which may leave them particularly vulnerable to trafficking; going missing; alienation from mainstream society; social and economic exclusion; poor mental health and a variety of forms of physical and sexual abuse.

2.4 Identifying the number, needs and settlement patterns of migrant children within this region, or any other region, has been incredibly difficult and in some cases not possible. There are gaps in data, inconsistent categorisation and a failure to identify particular migrant groups and children as specific cohorts which require investigation. There is a distinct requirement to undertake a review of data collection and categorisation methods as well as a recognition of the presence and needs of the family formation group and those migrant children who come with their parents for economic reasons, outside of the EU.

o  The report estimates that approximately 5,000 children have entered the region since 2005 under the workers registration scheme.

o  The report estimates that between 4,500 and 9,000 asylum seeking children within families have entered the region since October 2000.

o  The report estimates approximately 12,900 claims for child benefit have been made in the region from A8 nationals from 2006 until June 2008.

o  The report estimates on average 400 UASC are supported at anyone time in this region.

o  Settlement data is extremely weak and whilst one can begin from the assumption that migrant family settlement patterns will mirror overall migrant settlement patterns, currently only NINO data is based upon home address and not the employers address.

o  More work needs to be done on understanding the settlement patterns of family joiners. Data collection from PLASC and GP Flag 4 data could assist in building a ‘bottom-up’ statistical picture, but work needs to be done on ensuring consistency in categorisation and collection methods.

o  Non of the data used provides a clear picture of movement either within or outside of the region. Tracking migration patterns of movement is very difficult, and whilst the total population of an area may be consistent, the flow of people in and out underneath that consistent surface, can make it incredibly difficult to provide appropriate services, respond to particular issues quickly and ensure children are kept safe from harm.

3. Key Recommendations

3.1 Data

·  Introduce a process of information coordination and dissemination across the region, utilising the existing networks developed by the Regional Migration Partnership

·  Increase negotiation and pro-activity across service providers to develop information sharing protocols

·  Begin to recognise children within this group and collate data accordingly

3.2 Research

·  Consider the inclusion of migrant children in future regional and local research projects in terms of numbers, needs and locations.

3.3 Language Support

·  Establish assessment protocol / assessment to assess language needs and provide orientation training before placement

·  Provision of flexible additional financial support to supplement EMAG where appropriate

3.4 Schools

·  Development and rigorous enforcement of anti-bullying and racism policies which reflect inter-cultural tensions

·  Develop induction process for new arrivals and parents that includes a general ‘orientation’ as well as curriculum information

·  Development of pupil mentoring schemes

·  Develop awareness raising programmes for schools to challenge migration myths

3.5 Participation

·  Ensuring parents and children have access to information regarding available activities and that activities are able to support potential additional needs.

3.6 Safeguarding

·  Children’s services should consider building closer partnerships with new communities and UKBA/CEOP/UKHTC and other agencies to ensure that appropriate checks and balances are in place to monitor migrant children who enter the region.

·  An awareness and regional guidance on the identification; protection and advocacy of trafficked migrant children, particularly those that go missing should be developed.

3.7 Children in Care

·  Inclusion of migrant children cohort in mainstream planning

·  Recognition of migrant children, particularly UASC, as a key looked after cohort

·  Awareness raising of special needs of migrant children, particularly UASC, regarding immigration; cultural and other critical need areas such as mental health

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this report is to ascertain the numbers and consider some of the key impacts of migrant children in the region.

1.2 It will consider the composition of different groups of migrant children in the region i.e. Unaccompanied asylum children; asylum children within families; children of destitute failed asylum seekers; work-based migrant children and children of migrants entering the UK as family joiners.

1.3 The scoping exercise will seek to provide a critical overview of the settlement of migrant children across the region and will begin to enable a more strategic approach to service planning, provision and mainstream inclusion in key regional and local strategies.

1.4 The term migrant will be used throughout this report to refer to asylum seekers, unsuccessful asylum seekers, unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), refugees and other migrants. This terminology is consistent with that used by the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

2. The need for a Regional Strategy

2.1 Although the purpose of this report is not the development of a regional strategy for migrant children, there is a clear gap of knowledge and understanding available regarding this group of children, which may leave them particularly vulnerable to trafficking; going missing; alienation from mainstream society; social and economic exclusion; poor mental health and a variety of forms of physical and sexual abuse.

2.2 Missing Children

In a recent survey compiled by the Care Leavers’ Association (2008) to identify children in care who have gone missing without a trace since 2000, found that almost 400 young people, of whom a high proportion are UASC (possibly up to 25%).

2.2.1 Fourteen local authorities from the Yorkshire and Humber region took part in the survey, and five children (one of whom was a UASC) were identified as being missing. Although these figures are not substantial, in noting the apparently high proportion of UASC that do go missing, particularly in London and the South East, and the developing UASC Reform Programme, consideration should be given to building preventative strategies into any regional bid.

2.3 Trafficked Children

2.3.1 Anecdotal evidence suggests that children both UK and foreign born, are being trafficked around this region, and often it is the very nature of trafficking that makes it so difficult to identify those children at risk. The UK Human Traffic Centre (UKHTC) is currently developing a number of partnership pilots with Derbyshire Police to look at developing better intelligence sharing practices and prosecution techniques to support victims.

2.3.2 In 2004, ECPAT UK (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), the UK representative of a global movement in over 70 countries, comprising of a coalition of leading charities within the UK, published Cause for Concern.

2.3.3 This report, based on interviews with London Social Services teams on the issue of trafficking, established that 26 out of 32 London Boroughs had concerns about child trafficking. It also highlighted significant problems in tackling child trafficking including little or no training; poor communication between agencies; inconsistent standards of care and accommodation for child victims, and ad hoc methods of victim identification.

2.3.4 In early 2006 ECPAT UK, with the support of Save the Children’s England Programme, began to look at the reality of trafficking in the regions outside of London and the South East. Although the focus was upon the North West; North East and the West Midlands, lessons can be learnt across all regions and by all local authorities.

2.3.5 Although the scope of the study was limited, it found that across the three regions there were 80 reported cases of known or suspected child victims of trafficking from abroad. Of those 80 children, 60% have gone missing from social service care and never been found.

2.3.6 The report noted a number of key issues which required addressing:

o  Victim identification was found to be ad hoc, unsystematic and sometimes accidental;

o  Information was not always recorded and shared;

o  Children might be in the looked-after system sometime before they are identified as a victim of trafficking;

o  The classification of children who enter the UK from abroad as either accompanied or unaccompanied often determines the ‘services’ children receive. The concept of ‘separated’ children (i.e. children who have travelled alone or have arrived with an adult who is not a parent or guardian) is more appropriate to identify children’s needs;

o  Difficulty of these children in accessing support services due to ; isolation; immigration status; language; lack of an advocate to speak on their behalf.

2.4 Alienation from mainstream society

2.4.1 There is a general lack of research around the experiences and needs of migrant children, not only in the Yorkshire and Humber region, but across the UK. On speaking with practitioners across the region, anecdotal evidence suggests that migrant children often find it difficult to engage with key support and educational services at key transitional stages.

2.4.2 Children who enter the UK at key transitional stages in education often find it difficult to gain college places or access schools. This trend extends to children seeking to access youth services and career support and/or appropriate ESOL .

2.4.3 Children begin to fall out of the mainstream network and become excluded, may fail to attain their academic and career potential, and present challenges in later life.

2.5 Physical and Mental Health

2.5.1 Little research has been undertaken across the UK on the health issues affecting migrants, and even less on those affecting migrant children.

2.5.2 Some work has looked at the mental and sexual health of asylum seekers but much of this is focussed on the needs of adults.

2.5.3 Anecdotal evidence suggests that for those asylum seeking children engaged in the Case Resolution Programme (CRP), mental health issues may arise more acutely following a positive decision. Children will often hold things together pending a final decision and it is at this point that circumstances can overwhelm them. Across six out of the ten cluster local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humber region, 872 children were given positive decisions to remain in the UK as part of the first phase of CRP, with little or no integration support.

2.5.4 In terms of physical health, there are a variety of issues that may affect migrant children which are different to those which affect UK born children.

2.5.5 Key public health messages about vaccinations; diet; sexual health and smoking need to reach this group of children as keenly as they reach out to UK born children.

2.5.6 Core cultural differences need to be recognised and staff trained in pertinent health issues for this group of children such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and have access to other child professionals to share information.

2.5.7 The identification, not only of trafficked children, but of children from abroad who suffer physical abuse and attend hospitals for treatment, requires careful consideration and the development of key partnerships with child protection agencies.

2.6 Summary

2.6.1 Counting migrant children within the region is not an exact science by any stretch of the imagination. The fact that we don’t know, and can’t really find out, how many children from abroad may be living in this region, and their whereabouts, is particularly worrying.

2.6.2 Perhaps by developing a regional strategy that looks to include these children in mainstream practice and policy, identifies key risks and develops policies to address them, and by placing migrant children much higher on the research agenda, we can begin to better protect these children and keep them safe from harm.
Counting Migrant Children in the Yorkshire and Humber region