The Independent

Hundreds of child refugees wrongly sent to adult detention centres by Home Office

Source: POOL/AFP/Getty

At least 1,300 child refugees who arrived in the UK alone have been wrongly identified as adults, with nearly 500 placed in detention centres or in unsupervised adult accommodation, according to a report published on Monday.

Fourteen young people spent up to seven months in adult prisons after the Home Office wrongly assessed their ages between January 2022 and June 2023, the charities found.

Such treatment is linked to an and an increased likelihood of running away from care, leading many young people into . Children as young as 14 were among those judged to be adults.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Independent

The Independent2 min readCrime & Violence
Two Killed And 10 Injured In Knife Attack At Primary School In China
At least two people were killed and 10 injured after a knife-wielding woman attacked a primary school in Jiangxi province in China on Monday. The 45-year-old suspect reportedly used a fruit knife during the stabbing attack at the Mingde elementary sc
The Independent4 min read
Three Summer Home Hacks You Need To Know
With our long-awaited spring weather seemingly on the cool side, it’s easy to forget it only takes a mini-heatwave to turn everything topsy turvy – and find yourself completely caught out. Whether it’s a hot sweltering night and you’ve been caught on
The Independent2 min read
Infected Blood Inquiry Scandal - Live: Sunak Calls Report ‘Day Of Shame’ And Vows To Give Victims Compensation
Politicians, doctors and civil servants carried out a chilling and pervasive cover up, which led to the deaths of around 3,000 people through contaminated blood, a damning inquiry has found. Tens of thousands of people were avoidably infected with HI

Related Books & Audiobooks