Scotland programme: Child protection
In Scotland we want young asylum seeking and refugee children to be treated the same as any other child in Scotland.
All children living in Scotland are recognised as having rights to care and protection. However, asylum seeker children face limited access to services such as pre-5 education, further and higher education as well as protection for children who are separated from their parents. This is unacceptable.
- there are an estimated 3500 asylum seeking and refugee children living in Scotland
- 2307 asylum seeking and refugee pupils are enrolled in Scottish schools
- more than 1100 pre-five asylum seeker children live in Glasgow
Asylum-seekers and refugees:
- arrive in a new place as a result of difficult, often traumatic circumstances
- often face racism, even in places that should be safe - like schools
- struggle to settle in
Asylum seeker children are also subject to a range of legal and policy restrictions that diminish their rights. It is of great concern that asylum-seeking children have limited access to adequate legal representation.
Influencing policy
Save the Children continue to fight, at the highest level, for the rights of young asylum-seekers and refugees.
We influence policy making in Scotland through:
- campaigns to end the detention of children for immigration purposes UK wide
- research on the experience of young asylum-seeking and refugee children who have come to live in Glasgow
- up-to-date information on the legal rights of child asylum-seekers and refugees in Scotland
Work with partners
Save the Children has been working extensively with this group of children and young people. We've helped them settle in their new community by:
- working in primary and secondary schools and with community based organisations
- providing music therapy, drama, arts and crafts, web design, video and sports activities.
