We’ve curated a list of resources that can help when undertaking your age assessments. From country policy reports, to information for young people and interpreters.
Home Office country policy reports are a useful resource, enabling you to view a snapshot of a young person’s life in their country of origin. These documents are frequently updated (depending on the country) across a wide range of subjects, some of which are specific to separated migrant children.
A new policy report relating to unaccompanied minors has been published for Afghanistan, it includes an updated view on the impact of Covid19 on their journeys and experiences. This country policy report is a tough read but worth persevering through if you are supporting new arrivals from this region.
Social workers should not use these reports to “trick” or catch-out a young person but rather, should utilise the information provided as an overview of the types of potential experiences faced by the youths in their country of origin; details that may include particular vulnerabilities not previously considered. Always bear in mind that they are written for Home Office decision makers and therefore are going to potentially be politically influenced/biased.
Many of these reports are 70+ pages long, so do make use of the contents page that will signpost you to the relevant information that you require. A useful data source can be found by clicking the hyperlinks commonly contained within the reports, allowing access to additional resources/documents from around the world. Click on the link to view the reports here.
The UNESCO website offers information and handy info-graphics on education systems in different parts of the world. To access click on Education & Literacy, then Browse By Country and it will open the data for you. Scroll down to Education System and a helpful info-graphic on school start dates from pre-school to university will open. The link to this page can be found here.
Amnesty International provide up to date news/research and campaigns for specific countries, well worth reading if you need to gain a deeper understanding of what it might be like growing up in a specific country/area. These reports can be found here.
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) have developed a guide for young people who are subject to an age dispute. Not only does it provide a free, open access guide for young people to explain the process and what to expect, it also produces guides and advice for interpreters, appropriate adults and social workers. Sharing these guides and resources prior to your assessment is going to be beneficial to the young people you are assessing; it is also a way to demonstrate (in a potential challenge) that you have taken an empowering approach to your work. The page can be found here.
The Fatal Journeys Report Vol 4, published by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) was published in 2019 with a specific focus on unaccompanied minors. Although it makes for sobering reading, it is a helpful resource to gain an understanding of the migratory routes of young people, and also their experiences along the way. It is definitely not a report to sit and read if you’re feeling overwhelmed at work or struggling, but in my opinion it is essential if you are supporting separated migrant children on your caseload.
New age assessment case law is produced a handful of times in each year, it should be read to keep up to date with the latest court decisions. An easy way to review recent rulings is to subscribe to the Local Government Lawyer newsletter; also try making connections on Linked In. ISWS Ltd have a Facebook page where posts on new case law are frequently updated here.
If you know of any other resources that would be helpful to completing age assessments, please contact us and we can add it to our list for others to use.
