By Helen Mooney
19 October 2009
Prolonged detention in immigration centres seriously damages the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children, a UK study has found.
The study, the first of its kind, shows clear evidence that detention is ‘harmful’ to children. A team of doctors examined 24 children detained at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre and found that the majority were experiencing mental and physical health difficulties related to being in detention, including depression and anxiety. Many of the children had come to the UK seeking asylum.
According to the study, published on October 13, paediatricians and psychologists found that 73% of the 24 children they examined had developed clinically significant emotional and behavioural problems since being detained. None had previously reported such problems.
The team called on the government to urgently re-examine its policy of detaining children in immigration centres. It has also called for a further comprehensive study into the physical and mental wellbeing of detained children.
Dr Ann Lorek, consultant paediatrician at the Mary Sheridan centre for child health in Lambeth, south London, said: ‘Our study contains evidence that children in detention have worsening physical and mental health and express worrying levels of trauma and sickness, despite well-intentioned staff. As doctors we ask for safeguards to protect these vulnerable children from further harm in detention.’
Responding to the findings of the study, David Wood strategic director of the criminality and detention group at the UK Border Agency, said: ‘Treating children with care and compassion is a priority for the UK Border Agency.... We would much rather keep children out of detention. However, when the courts say families have no right to be here, yet they refuse to go home voluntarily, detention will often be necessary to enforce removal from the UK.’
19 October 2009
Prolonged detention in immigration centres seriously damages the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children, a UK study has found.
The study, the first of its kind, shows clear evidence that detention is ‘harmful’ to children. A team of doctors examined 24 children detained at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre and found that the majority were experiencing mental and physical health difficulties related to being in detention, including depression and anxiety. Many of the children had come to the UK seeking asylum.
According to the study, published on October 13, paediatricians and psychologists found that 73% of the 24 children they examined had developed clinically significant emotional and behavioural problems since being detained. None had previously reported such problems.
The team called on the government to urgently re-examine its policy of detaining children in immigration centres. It has also called for a further comprehensive study into the physical and mental wellbeing of detained children.
Dr Ann Lorek, consultant paediatrician at the Mary Sheridan centre for child health in Lambeth, south London, said: ‘Our study contains evidence that children in detention have worsening physical and mental health and express worrying levels of trauma and sickness, despite well-intentioned staff. As doctors we ask for safeguards to protect these vulnerable children from further harm in detention.’
Responding to the findings of the study, David Wood strategic director of the criminality and detention group at the UK Border Agency, said: ‘Treating children with care and compassion is a priority for the UK Border Agency.... We would much rather keep children out of detention. However, when the courts say families have no right to be here, yet they refuse to go home voluntarily, detention will often be necessary to enforce removal from the UK.’
