Advice to Government: Family Returns – Reforming Asylum Support and Enforcing Family Returns

NICCY is deeply concerned that the proposals contained within this consultation risk undermining the rights, wellbeing and safeguarding of children and young people seeking asylum and refuge, including children living within family units, care-experienced young people, and those with additional vulnerabilities arising from trauma, displacement, disability and/or exploitation. We do thank the Home Office for meeting with NICCY in May 2026 and encourage them to publish their current, and ongoing assessment on the impact their proposals will have on children and young people. We also consider a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA)to be required for these, and any future proposals and encourage the Home Office to conduct these at the start of a process to ensure that all children’s rights are considered as soon as possible.

The full response can be downloaded on the right-hand side of this page.