Professionals speak out on detention of children

December 14th, 2009 | Author: Alison Leslie

originally published:
10th December 2009

Every year hundreds of children in the UK are detained in immigration centres because their families face deportation, this policy is harmful and must change say medical experts.

The Royal Colleges of Paediatrics, GPs and Psychiatrists say other countries have found alternatives to detention and want the British government to take a different approach to stop the physical and psychological damage suffered by children.

Dr Rosalyn Proop, of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said, “These children are among the most vulnerable in our communities and detention causes unnecessary harm to their mental and physical health. The current situation is unacceptable and we urge the Government to adopt alternatives to detention without delay”.

The average stay of children at Yarl’s Wood, the UK’s largest immigration removal centre, is fifteen days but a third are detained for more than a month. Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners says this cannot continue. “Detaining children for any length of time, often without proper explanation, is a terrifying experience that can have lifelong consequences. As well as the potential psychological impact, these children invariably experience poor physical health as they cannot access immunisation and preventative services.

“As a civilised society, we cannot sit back and allow these practices to continue – they are unethical and unacceptable”.

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