The British Red Cross shares concerns over the use of dental x-rays to determine the age of asylum-seeking children (CYP Now, 12-18 March).
The accuracy and medical ethics involved are questionable, a stance shared by influential members of the country's medical community.
The British Red Cross would like to see a more holistic approach to age assessment, starting from a premise of belief rather than disbelief, and one that both promotes human dignity and allows young people to fully understand how a decision has been made.
A system that accepts the young person's word in the first place and transfers them to the appropriate authority where they are fully supported through the process should be implemented. The age assessment should then take place as soon as possible.
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