1. How many Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children and Young People (UASC) are in your Local Authority’s care as of 10th October 2022?
28
a. On the above numbers, how many are aged
Under 12 – 0
13-15 – 9
16-17 – 19
2. How many UASC were in your Local Authority care on the financial years ending:
a. 31 March 2021
b. 31 March 2020
c. 31 March 2019
This information is published by the Department for Education at: Children looked after in England including adoptions, Reporting Year 2021 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk)
3. Do you have a team/s that solely manage UASC cases?
We currently do not have a specific UASC Team, but we are in the process of creating one due to the rise in the numbers of UASC coming into our service. This team should be in place by February 2023, the structure is still under review.
a. If yes, could you outline the Team Structure and where it sits within the organisation?
For example, 1 Team comprises 1 Team Manager, 2 Senior Social Workers and 2 Social Workers.
Currently we use our generic job descriptions for Team Managers and Social Workers, specific UASC ones are under development and will require submission for evaluation before we can use them to advertise for the new team.
4. Please supply the Job Descriptions of the workers who manage UASC cases? E.g. Social Worker, Senior Social Worker, Assistant Team Manager and Team Manager.
This can be viewed here
Age Assessments
5. How many age assessments have the Local Authority conducted on the financial years ending:
a. 31 March 2021 – 0
b. 31 March 2020 – 0
c. 31 March 2019 – 0
6. Does the Local Authority’s Social Workers complete the age assessments? If not, who does?
We now have Age Assessment trained social workers and a team manager
7. How many of the above age assessments resulted in the person to be:
a. Under 18 – 0
i. 31 March 2021 – 0
ii. 31 March 2020 – 0
iii. 31 March 2019 – 0
b. 18 or over – 0
i. 31 March 2021- 0
ii. 31 March 2020 – 0
iii. 31 March 2019 – 0
8. Were any of the above age assessment challenged by a way of Judicial Proceedings?
a. If so, how many are active?
b. How many have concluded?
i. Out of the above number, how many resulted in the Local Authority’s favour?
Not Applicable.
9. Please provide a copy of all templates used for competing an age assessment. For example, some local authorities complete shorten version of an age assessment, brief enquiries, or welfare visits.
This can be viewed here
10. Do you have a policy or practice guidance for staff on the age assessment process?
a. If yes, please provide a copy.
This can be viewed here
Social Work Practice
11. What is the process when the Local Authority received a referral of an UASC in your area?
a. If you have guidance/policy, please provide a copy.
This can be viewed online at: Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery (proceduresonline.com)
b. Is the arrangement different on Out of Hours?
No
12. Do you use social media checks at any point during the age assessment process?
a. If so, do you have a policy/guidance, please supply a copy.
No