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| Immigration watchdog urges greater use of family detention centre | Immigration watchdog urges greater use of family detention centre |
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| More routine use should be made of a controversial "child-friendly" detention centre for families facing removal from Britain, according to a new Home Office watchdog. | More routine use should be made of a controversial "child-friendly" detention centre for families facing removal from Britain, according to a new Home Office watchdog. |
| The independent family returns panel says that the child welfare charity Barnardo's, which runs the Cedars "pre-departure centre" jointly with G4S, should drop its "red line" that it should only be used as a last resort and that no more than 10% of the families facing removal should be held there. | The independent family returns panel says that the child welfare charity Barnardo's, which runs the Cedars "pre-departure centre" jointly with G4S, should drop its "red line" that it should only be used as a last resort and that no more than 10% of the families facing removal should be held there. |
| The first annual report from the panel, which is chaired by a former social services director, says that immigration and private security staff should be given the right to use force to restrain teenage children who aggressively try to resist the removal of themselves and their families. | The first annual report from the panel, which is chaired by a former social services director, says that immigration and private security staff should be given the right to use force to restrain teenage children who aggressively try to resist the removal of themselves and their families. |
| Chris Spencer, the panel's chair, said: "Returning families to their country of origin against their wishes is a sobering endeavour but UK Border Agency can do more. It has both the skills and facilities to make the returns process even easier for families." | Chris Spencer, the panel's chair, said: "Returning families to their country of origin against their wishes is a sobering endeavour but UK Border Agency can do more. It has both the skills and facilities to make the returns process even easier for families." |
| Barnardo's immediately rejected the panel's call to review its "red line", saying: "Families should only be referred to Cedars as a matter of exception, not routine, which is why we will be sticking by our red line that Cedars should be used in no more than 10% of total family returns." The charity set out its 10 "red lines" in response to criticism when the centre opened that its involvement carried the risk of "legitimising family detention". | |
| The panel's report discloses that 109 of the 665 families who "entered the returns process" between March 2011 and March 2012 returned home. Nearly half of those who were sent home – 53 families – were held at the Cedars at Pease Pottage, near Gatwick airport, as part of an "ensured return" process. Families are held initially up to 72 hours at the centre and can be detained for up to a week with ministerial authorisation. | The panel's report discloses that 109 of the 665 families who "entered the returns process" between March 2011 and March 2012 returned home. Nearly half of those who were sent home – 53 families – were held at the Cedars at Pease Pottage, near Gatwick airport, as part of an "ensured return" process. Families are held initially up to 72 hours at the centre and can be detained for up to a week with ministerial authorisation. |
| The Cedars was opened as part of the implementation of the coalition government's pledge to end the detention of children for immigration purposes. The panel says that although it has been operating at "well below capacity" it has proved "an exceptionally effective facility for helping to secure a successful return for families" since it opened in August 2011. It can hold up to nine families at a time, but has so far not had more than three at any one time. | The Cedars was opened as part of the implementation of the coalition government's pledge to end the detention of children for immigration purposes. The panel says that although it has been operating at "well below capacity" it has proved "an exceptionally effective facility for helping to secure a successful return for families" since it opened in August 2011. It can hold up to nine families at a time, but has so far not had more than three at any one time. |
| The panel says that more families would benefit from a short stay at Cedars, especially where parents have not prepared children for their return and therefore left them confused about what is happening. "Barnardo's should review the 10% 'red line' and consider whether it supports the best interests of children and their families," says the panel. | The panel says that more families would benefit from a short stay at Cedars, especially where parents have not prepared children for their return and therefore left them confused about what is happening. "Barnardo's should review the 10% 'red line' and consider whether it supports the best interests of children and their families," says the panel. |
| Barnardo's chief executive, Anne Marie Carrie, said: "When we agreed to be involved in Cedars it was on the explicit understanding that the facility would only be used with a small number of families, for a short time and as a last resort. | Barnardo's chief executive, Anne Marie Carrie, said: "When we agreed to be involved in Cedars it was on the explicit understanding that the facility would only be used with a small number of families, for a short time and as a last resort. |
| "Families should only be referred to Cedars as a matter of exception, not routine." | |
| The charity has already protested to the UK Border Agency over one family being held longer than a week and another case in which the Reliance private security guards used "inappropriate force" when taking an individual away. |