Home Office 'wages psychological warfare' on child asylum seekers with 'destructive' delays

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Explosive new research finds many under-16s are forced to wait years in limbo, constantly fearing detention and deportation , while their asylum application is decided Children are suffering 'devastating and destructive' effects of long asylum delays, new report says (file image)

The Home Office has been accused of waging 'psychological warfare' against child asylum seekers, as a bombshell report finds the failures are having a 'devastating and destructive' impact.

Research has shown that many young people under the age of 16 are forced to wait years in limbo, constantly fearing detention and deportation while their asylum claim is decided. A report from the University of Liverpool found it puts them at dangerous risk of depression, self-harm and suicide, and said the government was acting illegally.

A youth, Azad, 22, who sought refuge in the UK after leaving Iran, told researchers: “Trust me… [the Home Office] is launching a psychological war against the asylum seekers and people like me. They want us to leave. crazy and lose your brains, or in the end decide to leave this country."

And Besa, who arrived in the UK aged 15 unaccompanied, said: “The uncertainty was killing me, something inside me died and I was tired of everything I was facing. I had suicidal thoughts, and that's how I ended up in the hospital.

"I'm still struggling with delays, and I'm still struggling with my mental health, and day by day, I feel like life is wearing me down, but I hope that at the end, if and when this positive Decision comes, it will not be too late for me."

Academics have called on the Home Office to act after finding that unaccompanied children face quintuple waiting times. Asylum seeker Abli - not his real name - arrived in the UK aged 16 and waited five years for a decision. He said, "The scars I've had to deal with are deep within me. I thought I was strong...but right now I feel weaker than ever."

The report, titled Lives on Hold: Our Stories Told, based on interviews with nearly 70 young people and dozens of legal and social sector professionals, reveals that the government is failing in its legal obligations. He said the impact on the children amounted to torture. The researchers found that the delays are “significant and systemic”, stating: “There are multiple sites, diverse causes and diverse consequences for children and young people, which interact in complex and devastating ways that resemble definitions of torture and violence. »

The report says there are 'deep-rooted' inefficiencies at the Home Office, while policies associated with a 'hostile environment' – designed to make the UK less attractive to asylum seekers – are also a factor. He said there was no routine procedure for unaccompanied children seeking asylum and young people were often confused with little or no communication.

Professor Helen Stalford, lead author of the report, said: "It's just not good enough. She added: “It is paramount that action is taken to end these devastating effects of delays on children who have fled to the UK to seek refuge. »

Last week's figures revealed that the number of pending asylum claims in the UK stood at 175,000 at the end of June. Experts have warned of a "permanent backlog", with new legislation giving people no way to apply to stay in the country, but the government powerless to deport them.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We take our duty to protect children and young people extremely seriously and asylum claims from them are a priority. That's why we...