Legislation was passed last year to improve the way child asylum seekers are treated in the UK.
Under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, which came into effect in November, the Home Office and UK Border Agency (UKBA) are duty-bound to consider and promote the welfare of children involved in immigration and asylum cases.
But already concern is mounting that the legislation is not achieving the change intended.
Despite the coalition government's pledge to end the detention of children for immigration purposes, campaigners believe that the legal process needs significant change before substantive improvements can be achieved.
Promoting child welfare
A 24-page guidance document on how to promote the welfare of children, issued by the former Department for Children, Schools and Families, makes scant mention of the legal process, an aspect of the system seen as critical to the delivery of fair treatment by campaigners.
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