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| Child detainee health 'at risk' | Child detainee health 'at risk' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The practice of placing children in immigration removal centres should stop "without delay" because it can damage their health, senior doctors have said. | |
| Each year the UK holds about 1,000 children in immigration removal centres for an average of 15 days. | Each year the UK holds about 1,000 children in immigration removal centres for an average of 15 days. |
| Several royal colleges say detaining children and their families in these centres causes "significant harm." | Several royal colleges say detaining children and their families in these centres causes "significant harm." |
| The government said treating children with "care and compassion" was a priority for the UK Border Agency. | The government said treating children with "care and compassion" was a priority for the UK Border Agency. |
| The report was published by several royal colleges, including the colleges of paediatrics and child health, general practitioners and psychiatrists and nursing, and the UK Faculty of Public Health. | The report was published by several royal colleges, including the colleges of paediatrics and child health, general practitioners and psychiatrists and nursing, and the UK Faculty of Public Health. |
| 'Inadequate healthcare' | 'Inadequate healthcare' |
| Many of the children are held at Serco-run Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire while their parents await deportation. | Many of the children are held at Serco-run Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire while their parents await deportation. |
| Children in such circumstances were already among the most vulnerable in the UK and the harmful effects of arrest and detention only added to their difficulties, the report said. | Children in such circumstances were already among the most vulnerable in the UK and the harmful effects of arrest and detention only added to their difficulties, the report said. |
| It said almost all children seeking asylum suffered injury to their mental or physical health due to being detained, some seriously. | It said almost all children seeking asylum suffered injury to their mental or physical health due to being detained, some seriously. |
| The current provision of mental and preventative healthcare was inadequate, the report said, and made recommendations for improvement. | The current provision of mental and preventative healthcare was inadequate, the report said, and made recommendations for improvement. |
| It said the commissioning of healthcare in the removal centres should be transferred from the Home Office to the NHS. | It said the commissioning of healthcare in the removal centres should be transferred from the Home Office to the NHS. |
| Detaining children for any length of time is a terrifying experience that can have lifelong consequences Professor Steve FieldRoyal College of GPs My child still has nightmares | Detaining children for any length of time is a terrifying experience that can have lifelong consequences Professor Steve FieldRoyal College of GPs My child still has nightmares |
| And it should ensure detained children are subject to the same safeguards and standards as elsewhere in the NHS. | And it should ensure detained children are subject to the same safeguards and standards as elsewhere in the NHS. |
| The report also said they should be referred to local authorities as children in risk of harm. | The report also said they should be referred to local authorities as children in risk of harm. |
| It added that children with identified mental health problems, or deemed to be at high risk of developing them, should not be placed in detention. | It added that children with identified mental health problems, or deemed to be at high risk of developing them, should not be placed in detention. |
| Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said children in immigrant families were already disadvantaged and vulnerable. | Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said children in immigrant families were already disadvantaged and vulnerable. |
| "Detaining children for any length of time - often without proper explanation - is a terrifying experience that can have lifelong consequences," he said. | "Detaining children for any length of time - often without proper explanation - is a terrifying experience that can have lifelong consequences," he said. |
| "As well as the potential psychological impact, these children invariably experience poor physical health as they cannot access immunisation and preventative services." | "As well as the potential psychological impact, these children invariably experience poor physical health as they cannot access immunisation and preventative services." |
| Human rights | Human rights |
| Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, said the issue went "straight to the very heart of social justice and human rights". | Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, said the issue went "straight to the very heart of social justice and human rights". |
| He said: "It is unfair and wrong to exclude these very vulnerable children and young people from equitable access to normal health and social care. | He said: "It is unfair and wrong to exclude these very vulnerable children and young people from equitable access to normal health and social care. |
| "The UK is a civilised nation - let's demonstrate that by ending this discrimination right now." | "The UK is a civilised nation - let's demonstrate that by ending this discrimination right now." |
| The policy statement was "warmly welcomed" by the Children's Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, who in April said the practice of holding children in detention should be stopped. | The policy statement was "warmly welcomed" by the Children's Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, who in April said the practice of holding children in detention should be stopped. |
| Last month, the home affairs select committee said it was "not acceptable" that some were being detained for up to two months. | Last month, the home affairs select committee said it was "not acceptable" that some were being detained for up to two months. |
| Lisa Nandy, policy adviser at the Children's Society, said: "We have seen first hand the damage that immigration detention causes - many of the children we work with experience depression, bed-wetting, weight-loss and even self-harm." | Lisa Nandy, policy adviser at the Children's Society, said: "We have seen first hand the damage that immigration detention causes - many of the children we work with experience depression, bed-wetting, weight-loss and even self-harm." |
| David Wood, head of criminality and detention for the UK Border Agency, said: "We agree with the Royal Colleges that families at Yarl's Wood should get the same level of care available on the NHS, and they do. | David Wood, head of criminality and detention for the UK Border Agency, said: "We agree with the Royal Colleges that families at Yarl's Wood should get the same level of care available on the NHS, and they do. |
| "The Royal Colleges have relied on research which is up to three-years-old. There have been significant changes since. | "The Royal Colleges have relied on research which is up to three-years-old. There have been significant changes since. |
| "Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre has been praised on numerous occasions for its children's facilities." | "Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre has been praised on numerous occasions for its children's facilities." |