Children arriving alone in country still going missing, says group

A small number of separated foreign children who arrive in this country are still going missing, and it is believed they are mainly Chinese teenagers who have been smuggled here to work.

As of July 2011, there were more than 75 separated children or “aged out minors” (those over 18) in foster care or supported lodgings placements, but according to Barnardos, the State’s response to the needs of this group remains inadequate. In the first half of the year, 46 young people arrived to Ireland alone, seven went missing, although two were later accounted for.

The system of dealing with minors who arrive at the country’s ports unaccompanied, some as young as 11, has improved greatly but there are still “hugely worrying” issues, according to those who work with the young people.

Reform was undertaken last year after it emerged hundreds of separated young people were going missing, or were being accommodated in hostel-style accommodation. New rules mean separated young people should be treated the same as young Irish children in the care system.

Separated children’s officer Itayi Virri said the way that separated children are treated once they turn 18 is completely unsuitable.

“The current practice of transferring separated children who have turned 18 to direct provision centres for adults is completely unsuitable and exacerbates the vulnerability of these young people, many of whom have been through long and traumatic journeys or have been in care for a long time.

“Separated children should be treated as children first and as asylum seekers second. Their best interests as children should be at the forefront from the moment they arrive in the country.”

Mr Virri said once they turn 18, the young people are moved, sometimes in the middle of their Leaving Cert or other activities, and are often placed a long way from the foster family they were staying with.

The teenagers usually arrive from countries such as Nigeria, China, Afghanistan Pakistan, Sudan or Somalia.

Upon arrival they are sent to a HSE-run reception centre where they are assessed to ascertain their age. Some are reunited with family or sent back to their country or origin, others are sent to foster care.

“Some of the older young adults who arrive are trafficked for labour and are brought here by organised crime networks. They don’t end in the care system but go to a reception centre and then go missing. They are mainly from China and are not necessarily children as their age is often disputed,” Mr Virri said.

Barnardos advocacy manager Catherine Joyce said part of the work being undertaken is to try and quantify how many young people are being trafficked and how many are being smuggled by family members.

“In most cases it is smuggling, but often times young people get separated from their family along the way and don’t know where they are going to end up. For example, a family might pay someone to smuggle them out of a conflict zone. They might be in the back of truck, and at some point, the family gets split up, and the young person continues alone not knowing where he or she will end up.”

Ms Joyce said research to be published next year would evaluate how the system is working and what the outcomes for separated children are, as at present, all of the evidence is anecdotal.