Deportation plans will still harm children, charity fears

The government has pledged that by today (11 May) no children will be detained for immigration reasons in UK border agency removal centres. But they can still be kept at short-term, pre-departure accommodation.

The charity is concerned that the "shocking experiences" of families detained for immigration reasons in the past will continue under these new measures. They are particularly concerned that families can still be held for up to a week in exceptional circumstances. Concerns about families being separated while they are being prepared for deportation also remain.

To highlight its concerns it has released a report called What Have We Done? The Experiences of Children and Families in UK Immigration Detention.

This looks at the experiences of 32 families detained before May 2010, when the coalition government pledged to end the immigration detention of children.

Some families had medication removed and many children did not eat and lost weight, the report found. Sleeplessness and constant crying were commonplace among children detained. After their release families were blighted by ongoing emotional distress from their experience, the report adds.

Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of The Children's Society, said: "It remains to be seen how exactly the new arrangements will be used. We will be paying particular attention to whether detention in pre-departure accommodation will be used as a genuine last resort, for the shortest time possible, and in the most exceptional cases.

"It is not yet clear if it will be just another form of detention that harms children."

Latest government figures for March show that six children and young people were detained for immigration purposes, five in removal centres and one in a short-term facility.