State Sponsored Cruelty

More than half the children caught up in Britain's asylum system have suffered permanent psychological harm.

The report, based on medical evidence, State Sponsored Cruelty, claims that many of the children witnessed violence in detention centres or were seriously disturbed after dawn raids carried out by officers working for the UK Border Agency.Jon Burnett, the report's author, said the evidence brings to light the extent to which detaining children causes harm, suffering, and anguish.

The Home Office continues to hold children in immigration detention despite the promise six weeks ago from Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, to end the practice and to close the family unit at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire.

Of the 141 families and children interviewed in the study (nearly half the children were born in the UK) , 74 children were reported to have been psychologically harmed as a result of being detained. Symptoms included bed-wetting and loss of bowel control, heightened anxiety, food refusal, withdrawal and disinterest, and persistent crying. Of the children affected, 34 exhibited signs of developmental regression, and six children expressed suicidal thoughts either during or after they were detained. Three girls attempted to kill themselves.
The effects of detention continued after release and some teachers drew attention to their worsening school performance. Almost 100 of the children were reported to have physical health problems which were either exacerbated or caused by detention. The problems included fever, vomiting, abdominal pains, diarrhoea, musculoskeletal pain and coughing up blood.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Royal College of General Practitioners issued a joint statement welcoming the report:
"...it highlights again the harmful effect that administrative detention has on the physical and psychological health of children and young people,"