Union demands end to dawn raids

Scotland’s largest teaching union yesterday called for an end to the use of dawn raids in the forced extradition of failed asylum seekers.

The Educational Institute of Scotland said the practice was harrowing both for affected families and for fellow pupils and teachers of children who were taken from their homes.

General Secretary Ronnie Smith said: “There simply has to be a better way than snatching families and children away from their homes, their communities, their schools and their friends in the middle of the night.”

In October, the Home Office announced that lead professionals would be appointed in Scotland to oversee the interests of children facing deportation.