There were 44 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children under the care of Barnet Council as of 31st March, compared to 61 a year earlier reports Adam Care, Data Reporter

A young woman in a blue hoodie holding her clenched fists over her face — Across England, the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in council care fell by 12% – (credit – Radar)

There were fewer asylum-seeking children in council care in Barnet last year, new figures show.

New figures from the Department for Education show there were 44 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children under the care of Barnet Council as of 31st March.

This was less than a year earlier, when there were 61.

Across England, the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in council care fell by 12% to 6,540 after a peak of 7,440 last year.

It was the first time in five years the total figure fell and was the main factor behind a 2% fall in the total number of looked after children, from 83,530 to 81,770.

In total there were 343 children in care in Barnet, with asylum-seeking children making up 13% of them.

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children often present themselves at points of entry into the country and are separated from their parents or any other responsible adult.

The Kent Refugee Action Network, which works with young people seeking asylum, warned there has been an increase in young asylum seekers being treated as adults and taken away to inappropriate accommodation.

KRAN chief executive Dr Razia Shariff said the network has received eyewitness testimonies from charities that have had to support young people placed in adult hotels to dispute their age.

“Over the past few years there has been a systematic shift in age assessing young people when they first arrive in the UK by Border Force, with an increase in young people being deemed adults in the first instance and taken to adult accommodation,” she said.

She added many children the organisation works with have trauma, cognitive health issues and learning disabilities than remain undiagnosed.

“They need to feel they belong, they need to reclaim their childhood through wellbeing activities, they need to be able to have agency and choice and a voice in decisions that affect their lives.”

The Local Government Association has warned overspending has led councils to rely on unsustainable emergency measures to fund find children’s services.

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, chair of the LGA’s children, young people and families committee, said: “Councils want to do everything they can to support children and young people and help them to lead happy lives where they can thrive.

“However, these figures are a reminder of the huge pressures that councils are under to provide this lifeline of support.”

She added it was “vital” the government adequately funds children’s services, ensuring councils have the resources they need to support children in care.

A DfE spokesperson said: “The government is committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable children, including those in the care system and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to ensure every child has the best start in life.

“It is promising to see a decline in the number of children entering the care system, partly thanks to our support.

“Through our Plan for Change we are investing £2.4 billion in the Families First Partnership programme to try and keep families together and making greater use of family-based alternatives like special guardianship orders.

“We will also be laying out ambitious plans to boost the number of foster carers in England soon and investing over £8 million in Adoption England so that children can be provided with a loving and supportive home environment wherever possible.”

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