Freedom of information response

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children

Publication date: 
Monday 20 November 2023
Request: 

1. The number of UAS children which represent the 0.1% threshold in the NTS Protocol for your local authority;

2. The number of UAS children which are currently within the care of your local authority as looked after children, as at the date of this request, for the purposes of sections 17, 20 and/or 22 of the Children Act 1989;

3. The number of British citizen and/or ordinarily resident children (i.e. non-UAS children) which are currently within the care of your local authority as looked after children, as at the date of this request, for the purposes of sections 17, 20 and/or 22 of the Children Act 1989;

4. The number of UAS children for whom your local authority has been requested to accept the transfer of functions from another local authority via the NTS since 14 December 2021;

5. The number of UAS children for whom your local authority has accepted the transfer of functions from another local authority via the NTS since 14 December 2021;

6. The number of UAS children for whom your local authority has declined the transfer of functions from another local authority via the NTS since 14 December 2021;

7. Where your local authority has declined the transfer of functions in relation to UAS children via the NTS since 14 December 2021, the reason or reasons given in each case for declining the transfer of functions.

8. The number of UAS children, if any, which your local authority has referred for transfer via the NTS since 14 December 2021;

9. Where your local authority has accepted the transfer of functions in relation to UAS children via the NTS, the number of days – on average – which elapse between the request first being made from your local authority and the physical transfer of the UAS child concerned to your local authority’s area; and

10. Where your local authority has accepted the transfer of functions in relation to UAS children via the NTS, the proportion of those transfers which are completed within 10 working days from when the request was first made to your local authority; and

11. Confirmation of whether the Home Office and/or the SSHD has taken any enforcement actions, including by threatened legal proceedings, to require your local authority to accept the transfer of functions for UAS children from another local authority.

Response: 

1. The number of UAS children which represent the 0.1% threshold in the NTS Protocol for your local authority; 44 Children

2. The number of UAS children which are currently within the care of your local authority as looked after children, as at the date of this request, for the purposes of sections 17, 20 and/or 22 of the Children Act 1989; 47 as of the 31 July 2023

3. The number of British citizen and/or ordinarily resident children (i.e. non-UAS children) which are currently within the care of your local authority as looked after children, as at the date of this request, for the purposes of sections 17, 20 and/or 22 of the Children Act 1989; 257

4. The number of UAS children for whom your local authority has been requested to accept the transfer of functions from another local authority via the NTS since 14 December 2021; 7

5. The number of UAS children for whom your local authority has accepted the transfer of functions from another local authority via the NTS since 14 December 2021; 5

6. The number of UAS children for whom your local authority has declined the transfer of functions from another local authority via the NTS since 14 December 2021; 2

7. Where your local authority has declined the transfer of functions in relation to UAS children via the NTS since 14 December 2021, the reason or reasons given in each case for declining the transfer of functions. Spontaneous arrivals into Thurrock on the same day of the request meant that we were at quota under the NTS

8. The number of UAS children, if any, which your local authority has referred for transfer via the NTS since 14 December 2021; 11

9. Where your local authority has accepted the transfer of functions in relation to UAS children via the NTS, the number of days – on average – which elapse between the request first being made from your local authority and the physical transfer of the UAS child concerned to your local authority’s area; and 7

10. Where your local authority has accepted the transfer of functions in relation to UAS children via the NTS, the proportion of those transfers which are completed within 10 working days from when the request was first made to your local authority; and 80%

11. Confirmation of whether the Home Office and/or the SSHD has taken any enforcement actions, including by threatened legal proceedings, to require your local authority to accept the transfer of functions for UAS children from another local authority. To confirm, the Home Office has taken no action in resect of Thurrock. We are a Port of Entry for UAS

Request reference:
FOI 13169