Seven-day welfare plan turned down

The government has rejected a recommendation to assess the welfare of asylum-seeking children in detention after seven days.

The Independent Certification Monitor’s (ICM) annual report, published last week, recommended that the welfare of dependent children should be considered after seven days and “at frequent intervals thereafter”.

But in response, the government said procedures in three centres – Tinsley House, Dungavel and Yarl’s Wood – were in place to ensure that welfare assessments were carried out after children had been in detention for 21 days.

The ICM, which examines asylum cases found to be based on “unfounded” claims from countries that have been designated as safe, also called for a review of the policy of detaining families with children and urged the government to do more to monitor detained children.

In response, the government said it would review available statistics on the detention of minors, but argued that all cases were subject to “frequent and rigorous” review.

The ICM also recommended that asylum-seeking children from designated “safe” countries should be allowed the standard period of discretionary leave.