Our position on Immigration and Asylum
Aspects of the wider UK immigration and asylum system are increasingly at risk of breaching both international law and conventions on human rights. Human rights are central to social work and are embedded in the BASW Code of Ethics. The support and care of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) is a key social work responsibility and BASW is active in campaigning for the human rights of UASC.
BASW UK has the following demands of the UK Government.
Repeal the 2023 Illegal Migration Act: The Illegal Migration Act 2023 changed the law so that those who arrived in the UK through what the Government determines an ‘illegal route’, will be unable to stay in the UK and will be detained before deportation. The Act serves no positive purpose, is unworkable, and risks breaching domestic and international law.
Scrap the National Age Assessment Board: The Nationality and Borders Act paved the way for the creation of a National Age Assessment Board, a body made of up of social workers that sits within the Home Office. This gives the Home Office influence over the age assessment of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and opens up the process to political interference by Governments.
Abolish ‘scientific methods’ of age assessment: The Nationality and Borders Act and the Illegal Migration Act both contain clauses that allow the Home Secretary to bring in measures for age disputed young asylum seekers to undergo MRIs and x-rays to assess their age. These are medical procedures and should not be used for age determination, especially on young people who may not be able to give consent or may feel coerced.
Time limits on asylum cases for UASC: It has long been recognised that children and young people need speedy resolution to their needs. For example, in the English care system judges are empowered to project-manage cases so that the majority of legal cases relating 10 to children are completed within a fixed timescale. Many children’s asylum cases take far too long to resolve. This drift and delay causes extreme distress for the children and young people seeking asylum and exacerbates costs for the state. Immigration Tribunal judges should be empowered to project-manage asylum cases to within a defined timescale – just like their peers in the family court system.
Review of No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF): The legislation, policies and practices of NRPF have a profoundly negative impact on the most vulnerable in society. There should be a comprehensive independent review of the model of NRPF in relation to those who are destitute, or who face destitution, with a view to the next UK Government replacing the model with a system that is both adequately funded and resourced and is compliant with the UK’s commitments to human rights.
Support specific to people from Ukraine
Download the document for advice and guidance related to people escaping war in Ukraine.
BASW practice support
Useful Resources & Information
Just Right Scotland
Just Right Scotland has launched a Ukraine Advice Scotland project to provide free, confidential legal advice and information to Ukrainians on legal routes for seeking safety in Scotland.
CELCIS
CELCIS has developed a resource to help people in Scotland working with and supporting children and families in a professional, voluntary or personal capacity. “The Supporting Child Refugees and their Families” hub focuses on child protection and safeguarding, supporting mental and physical wellbeing including trauma, and the needs of children who require care. Information, resources, organisations, guidance and the international frameworks to understand the rights of children and what needs to be considered when supporting children in care and children who have been displaced from the war, have been separated from their families and may have arrived in the UK on their own,
Scottish Refugee Council
The Scottish Refugee Council has a large amount of information to support refugees and those who are supporting reguees in Scotland.
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government's policy on refugees and asylum seekers.
Migration Scotland (part of CoSLA)
Migration Scotland's policies and guidance.
Migration Scotland Hong Kong Welcome Hub
The Hong Kong Welcome Hub contains a host of resources for migrants from Hong Kong from housing to healthcare and much more. Read more here
Ukrainians Welcome
Ukrainians Welcome is a joint initiative of British organizations fighting slavery and human rights. Its purpose is to provide useful information on the safety and life of displaced Ukrainians in the UK as a whole. The site is funded by the Freedom Fund.
British Red Cross - Family Reunion Integration Service
The Family Reunion Integration Service (FRIS) is the first national programme to support reunited refugee families to integrate into their new communities. So far, it has supported around 4,000 refugee families.
