Conclusion and summary of key recommendations It is clear that the situation for unaccompanied 3. Though Dublin III regulation time limits allow children in the Calais ‘Jungle’ is as untenable for an eleven-month process end-to-end, when as it is urgent: physical conditions are wholly dealing with children surviving alone with little inadequate, children are missing out on an or no protection, concerted efforts must be education, and the almost total lack of protection made to prioritise these cases and speed up the leaves young people vulnerable to abuse, process, including the Home Office proactively exploitation by smugglers and trafficking. taking charge of arranging transfers once take Children must be accommodated in a place of charge requests are accepted. safety, with access to protection. Amongst these 4. The Home Office must be more flexible, children, a large number have a legal claim to efficient and proactive, responding quickly leave France altogether and be transferred to to take charge requests, setting reasonable the UK – either to join family members under the requirements for evidence, and ensuring that Dublin III regulation, or to receive humanitarian once a request is accepted, the child is informed protection under the Dubs amendment. and transport arranged as soon as possible. It is unacceptable that children are surviving in 5. French authorities must ensure that each the camp alone, for months on end when, for and every unaccompanied child is provided many, existing laws offer a legal right to be in a with safe accommodation and adequate safe home with family. psychosocial support. We believe that, if the requisite will and resources 6. All children who arrive in the UK, whether were committed, all eligible unaccompanied living with family or elsewhere, must be provided children could be here in the UK before the end with psychosocial and mental health support as of 2016, adequately protected along the way. In appropriate. Similarly, those looking after order to achieve this: children must be supported to provide the 1. Where the Home Office is aware of children care they need. who have a legal right to be here – either under 7. The UK should adopt Article 10 of the EU the Dubs Amendment or Dublin III, through Directive on Family Reunion to enable refugee information received from the French authorities children to be reunited with their parents. or voluntary organisations – the UK government should explore and agree with the French authorities a more streamlined, rapid procedure to relocate these children to the UK. The current Thanks and acknowledgements Dublin III procedures are insufficient. This report was researched and written by Louiza 2. More human resources are needed in France, Chekhar of British Red Cross. Support and within FTDA and the préfecture, including ad guidance was provided by colleagues Karl Pike, hoc administrators and interpreters. More Lara Cumming, Anna MacSwan and Olivia Field. caseworkers are also needed to support the British Red Cross would like to thank all those preparation of evidence, and outreach workers who supported and facilitated this research, to provide appropriate information to children. including Safe Passage UK, Legal Shelter, Such work should not be the sole responsibility Refugee Youth Services and the Women and of voluntary groups. Children’s Centre. 15 http://www.helprefugees.org.uk/2016/05/09/dubs-amendment-passes-your-help-needed-to-bring-unaccompanied- refugee-children-to-safety/ 16 UNHCR states: “Broadly, the term ‘best interests’ refers to the well-being of a child. It is determined by a variety of individual circumstances (age, level of maturity, the presence or absence of parents, the child’s environment and experiences). States are primarily responsible for implementing the best interests principle.” (https://emergency.unhcr.org/ entry/44309/best-interests-procedure-for-children) No place for children 13