Prisons inspector seeks action on ‘distressing' immigration removal process

An inspection of the Cedars pre-departure accommodation near Gatwick found that although the institution was well-managed, the wellbeing of children was not always prioritised.

The Prisons Inspectorate report said the needs of children were not central enough to the arrest process, citing one case where extreme force was used for several minutes to batter down a family’s door early in the morning.

Inspectors also found that a number of families were detained on more than one occasion, suggesting that this was a “particularly disruptive upheaval for children, both emotionally and practically”.

“Whatever one’s views on immigration, the distress described in this report of the families passing through the centre and its potential impact on the children involved is disturbing,” the report said.

The report states that among the 42 families held at Cedars in 2013, force (mostly of a low-level) had been used on 10 occasions, suicide and self-harm procedures had been initiated 25 times and there had been two recorded incidents of actual self-harm.

Detainees had been placed on constant watch on 12 occasions.

“The distress experienced by parents and children who are subject to enforced removals is palpable for anyone who spends time in their company in Cedars, and this is no less true for the staff who work there,” chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said.

“More should be done to address the jarring experiences some families have before arrival at Cedars, and to reduce the stress of removal.”

However Hardwick praised Cedars for being an “example of best practice in caring for families who are to be removed”.

“It has maintained effective joint working to mitigate the needs of some of the most vulnerable people subject to immigration control, and remains an exceptional facility.”

The report said that high-quality residential units and grounds provided a decent environment for families and children of all ages.

Meanwhile, the level of individual care and attention for families on their reception into the centre remained “exceptional”.

And despite undergoing an extremely stressful experience, families spoke highly of the care given to them by all staff.

Since 2011 Cedars has been used as “last resort” family-friendly pre-departure accommodation as part of government’s pledge to end the use of child detention.