Australia and Sweden have already banned detaining migrant children but in the notorious Yarl’s Wood “removal centre” alone, the UK government imprisons 1,000 children every year.
Life for these children is stark and conditions are appalling. Self harm is described as commonplace, while suicide notes are simply ignored. Other issues common to the children include:
- Lack of immunisations
- Failure to treat injuries (including broken arms)
- Lack of access to registered children’s’ nurse
- Emotional and psychological regression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Bed-wetting
- Weight-loss
- Clinical depression
- Suicidal behaviour
These are innocent children being kept in so-called “centres” that are essentially prisons run by private companies for private profit at the taxpayer’s expense (Yarl’s Wood is run by Serco). There is no need to keep them there. It is a costly and cruel practice. Most of them are the children of families seeking asylum in the UK who are not likely to abscond. There is no reason why they should not simply be lodged at residential hostels, rather than locked up like criminals. Even Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the children's commissioner for England, has said: "It is time for this inhumane practice to end."
No comments:
Post a Comment