Immigration Solicitors

A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) has revealed that three children were held at immigration detention centre Campsfield House in Oxfordshire – despite a pledge by the coalition government in 2010 to end the detention of children in immigration centres.

Campsfield House was inspected by HMIP in August 2014, when inspectors found that in December 2012, a minor was assessed as an adult by social services and was consequently held at the detention centre held for 62 days. However, a second assessment established that the detainee was 16.

Home Office official said in May 2013, that the detention of a teenager was appropriate, even though records showed that he was 17. HMIP inspectors found that after three days at Campsfield House, the error was discovered and the teenager was released.

The HMIP report confirmed that since then, no children had been held at Campsfield between January and August 2014, when the inspection took place.

Despite the detention of children, inspectors found that conditions at Campsfield were safe and staff worked “sensitively” and professionally.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said:

“Overall, this was a very positive inspection – staff and managers at Campsfield House should be congratulated in dealing professionally and sensitively with detainees, who were going through what, for many, was a difficult and unhappy time.

“However, whatever the strengths of the centre, detention should not be used for children, victims of torture or anyone for unreasonable lengths of time.

“Further improvements to national processes are required to ensure this does not happen.”

However, the revelation that children were detained at Campsfield have been criticised by campaigners. Spokeswoman for the Refugee Council, Judith Dennis said that unaccompanied children arriving in the UK were “alone, frightened and often traumatised”.

“It's deeply disturbing that they can then be thrown into adult detention centres and left to fend for themselves,” Ms Dennis said.

“The government appears so intent on locking up as many asylum seekers as possible that it's wrongly imprisoning children too – it's high time the inhumane, inefficient and expensive practice of detaining asylum seekers is consigned to the history books, where it belongs,” she added.

In response to the report that children had been held at Campsfield, a spokesman for the Home Office said:

“We take our responsibilities in cases involving children extremely seriously – and this government has legislated to end the detention of children for immigration purposes in all but exceptional circumstances. But we have always been clear that there are certain situations where we may be forced to detain children temporarily.

“These may include border turnaround cases – or cases involving unaccompanied children until alternative accommodation is arranged.

“We are pleased that this report confirms that Campsfield House continues to be a particularly well-operated centre – that it provides a safe and secure place for detainees and staff, that relationships between them are positive and that vulnerable detainees who may be at risk of self-harm are well cared for.

“We are also pleased that the report notes the continuous improvements being made within the centre –we will consider the contents of this report and respond to each of the recommendations in due course.”

Duncan Lewis Immigration Lawyers

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For expert legal advice on UK immigration law, call Duncan Lewis immigration lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

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