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RDR Academic Leads Research on Risk of Exploitation in Lone Children Seeking UK Asylum

17 July 2024

Dr Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Associate Professor in Policy and Intersectionality, led the research alongside colleagues at 果冻影院 and ECPAT UK.

A photo of a boy with a pensive look

A new report by 果冻影院 researchers and ECPAT UK has found that housing lone children in Home Office child hotels, as occurred between 2021 and January 2024, increased their risks of trafficking and exploitation.

The research aimed to investigate the risks of trafficking and exploitation among children seeking asylum in the UK by interviewing the young people themselves as well as professionals involved in their care, such as social workers, policy stakeholders, academics, lawyers, law enforcement, support workers, and NGO staff.

Lead author and Principal Investigator said:

鈥淭his is a national scandal which must not be repeated. It is still not clear if the children who disappeared have been found, nor what attempts have been made to find those who remain missing and make sure that they are safe. Adding to this, children who are incorrectly determined as adults are deprived of their rights to education, protection and safeguarding as well as not to be detained, or deported according to domestic law. Once placed in adult hotels, the risks posed to their welfare are even more serious than those that existed in the child hotels 鈥 the additional risk factors include having to share rooms with highly traumatised and sometimes suicidal adults. These vulnerable children may be taken advantage of, including for sexual or criminal purposes by people sharing a room with them and also by staff members. No young person should be put in an adult hotel if there is any uncertainty about whether they are below 18.鈥

Dr Ayeb-Karlsson led the research alongside doctoral candidate, Tyler Valiquette (果冻影院 Geography), Dr Ella Cockbain (果冻影院 Security and Crime Science) and (ECPAT UK).

The research was funded by the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (Modern Slavery PEC), which in turn is funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Read the full story on 果冻影院 News.

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