Detention of children 'must stop'

Friday, 15 August 2003 12:00 AM

The Government has been told to stop locking children up in its attempts to curb asylum.

Failed asylum claimants are often kept in detention centres awaiting deportation, and a report into one such centre has prompted a call for children to be released.

Anne Owers, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, has published a report based on her inspections of Dungavel detention centre in Lanarkshire, a private detention centre with a capacity for 148 detainees. The centre is run by Premier Detention Services.

However, despite the report praising staff and the safe and positive environment in the centre, occupants are not permitted to leave, and their movements within the centre are restricted. Ms Owers argues that this is not acceptable for children.

She has stated: 'It remains our view that however conscientiously and humanely children in detention are dealt with, it is not possible to meet the full range of their developmental needs.'

Children held at detention centres are usually there because their parents have failed in their application for asylum, and are awaiting deportation. But this process can take months and that means children are spending large parts of their formative years behind bars.

There were 18 minors being held at the centre and the Scottish National Party has been prompted by the report to repeat calls for all minors and their families to be released, although Anne Owers suggested that exceptional detentions for a 'very short period' might be acceptable.

Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears welcomed the report, which is based on an inspection in 2002, and defended the situation saying: 'It is regrettable that any families with children have to be detained at all' before claiming 'It is not typical for families to be detained for a long period of time.'

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