Flawed age assessments put hundreds of UK child refugees at risk, report finds

At least 1,300 children seeking asylum incorrectly deemed adults by Home Office with many exposed to ‘potential harm’

Hundreds of child refugees have encountered abuse and exploitation and some have been placed in adult jails, after their ages were wrongly assessed by the Home Office, according to a new report.

At least 1,300 children were incorrectly deemed to be adults by the Home Office over an 18-month period, the report by the Refugee Council, the Helen Bamber Foundation and Humans For Rights Network found.