In January last year, the UK Border Agency published its reform plansfor unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Better Outcomes: The WayForward pledged to set up regional centres to assess age. A workinggroup composed of medical practitioners, children's charities and thechildren's commissioner for England was also set up to examine proposalsfor compulsory dental X-rays.
But legal advice sought by the children's commissioner revealed that themedical examination of a young asylum seeker could cause serious harmand distress. In his report, Nick Blake QC states: "A medical procedureundertaken without the consent of an individual is an assault.
"A consent to a medical examination given by a child in circumstanceswhere he is told that a refusal will adversely affect a decision on hisasylum application cannot be described as freely given."
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