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REFUGEE ACTION WELCOMES GOVERNMENTS CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO END CHILD DETENTION

Thursday December 15th 2010

REFUGEE Action today welcomed the governments continuing commitment to end child detention.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced the immediate closure of Yarls Wood Family Wing and the end of family detention at Tinsley House from May 11th. He also said that there will no children in detention at Christmas.

He went on to announce that families will only be forcibly removed as a last resort and that they will still be accommodated in family friendly pre-departure accommodation for 72 hours before they leave.

Dave Garratt, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, welcomed the announcement and said the charity will await further details on arrangements for the pre-departure accommodation. He also urged the government to ensure that any alternatives to detention have the wellbeing of children as their first and guiding principle.

He said: We are pleased that the government has reconfirmed its commitment to end child detention.

At the same time as looking at alternatives to detention, however, it is also vital that the asylum decision-making process is reformed. One in four initial decisions is still overturned on appeal. Families should be fully informed about the asylum system when they arrive, given access to a legal advisor and supported throughout the process by a voluntary sector case worker. If people are kept informed about their options and the likely outcome of their cases, they are more likely to have faith in the decisions that are made and consider voluntary return if their claim is unsuccessful.

ENDS

For more information contact Julia Ravenscroft, Press Officer at Refugee Action, on 0161 831 5454 or 07771 748 159.

Notes to editors:

Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement through community development work, and received 30,000 visits from asylum seekers last year. As one of the countrys leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 29 years experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees.