THE Rwanda deal is triggering a deterioration in child refugees’ mental health, therapists warned today, following reports of terrified minors self-harming over fears of being deported.
As ministers push ahead with plans to send vulnerable men and women on a one-way ticket to Rwanda, charities are growing increasingly concerned about the psychological impact of the deal on all asylum-seekers and refugees in Britain, especially lone minors.
The Refugee Council, which runs a therapy service for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, has reported cases of children disappearing from hotels, and even reports of self-harm.
Sarah Temple, a senior therapist working with the charity, told the Morning Star that children arriving alone to Britain already suffer from a “host” of psychological problems due to the trauma they have often faced as well as uncertainty over their claims.
“This new government policy of trying to remove people seeking asylum to Rwanda is already triggering a deterioration in their mental health for many of them, who have been telling me how scared they are that they’ll be sent there now,” she said.
“My clients can’t be detained or removed while they are minors, but even when I explain this, they still don’t feel comforted, especially the ones who have now turned 18.”
Fears of being deported are also putting emotional and psychological pressures on refugees who’ve already been granted status in Britain, not just those immediately at risk of being sent to Rwanda, she added.
“It has led our clients to feel that ultimately no refugees are truly safe, and has made many feel unwelcome.”
Jude Boyles, another therapist at the charity, said that the policy was creating a feeling of insecurity among refugees.
He said: “Clients are wondering: ‘If the government can do this, what will they do next? Will we ever be truly allowed to stay here and make this our home?’”
It comes as peers are set to debate the issue in the House of Lords today.
Baroness Lister will press the government to ensure children will not be deported to Rwanda after charities claimed that children who had been wrongly assessed as adults were given notices of intent to be sent to the country last month.
Although the Home Office insists that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children will not be relocated to Rwanda nor anyone with an active age dispute, campaigners and refugees fear there that is a “serious” risk of this happening.
Samir, a refugee from Sudan, told the Star that he did not trust the government’s claims that children would not be among those targeted, having himself been wrongly classed as an adult after arriving in Britain as an unaccompanied minor.
Samir said he arrived at the age of 17 ,“traumatised and exhausted,” and was then placed in adult accommodation, compounding his trauma.
“It was just awful,” he said. “If this was to happen to a young person who arrived in Britain alone now they could end up being sent to Rwanda.”
The Children’s Society, which works with unaccompanied children, said that it was also supporting young people who fear being sent to Rwanda.
The charity’s policy and practice adviser Marieke Widmann said: “This government’s hostile policies make even those unaccompanied children who have been here for years and have status feel unwelcome and fearful for their futures.
“Instead of deterring others from fleeing to the UK, it is causing severe psychological damage to children already here and recognised by the government as needing support — this significantly undermines Britain’s ‘proud history of offering sanctuary to those in need’.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We take the welfare of all those in our care extremely seriously and have robust safeguards in place to protect vulnerable people.
“Nobody will be relocated if it is unsafe or inappropriate for them.”
Morning Star News
