The Illegal Migration Act has introduced a concerning practice in the UK – the detention of unaccompanied minors. This blog post, inspired by the insights of Ambassadors Sohaib and Niloha, aims to shed light on the short and long-term impacts of this policy on children seeking safety.

 

Physical and Psychological Impacts

Niloha, as a paediatrician, questions the rationale behind detaining children, especially after their arduous journeys to seek safety. Detention not only disrupts their schooling and physical development but also potentially exposes them to unhygienic conditions, sexual and psychological harassment. Such traumatic experiences can leave indelible scars, affecting their future relationships and overall well-being.

Sohaib, drawing from his expertise in psychology, delves deeply into the emotional and psychological impacts. He compares the trauma to Freud’s theory of unresolved conflicts, highlighting how these wounds can be enduring. Detention can result in severe emotional distress, manifesting as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. It also disrupts the development of secure attachment bonds and can lead to trust issues that persist into adulthood. Sohaib’s poignant prompt to “imagine it’s your child” encourages readers to empathize with the plight of these young individuals.

Detention: A Seedbed for Long-term Challenges

Detention has the potential to cultivate feelings of resentment and hatred, echoing Freud’s concept of displacement. These emotions, once deeply rooted, can linger, and affect future behaviours and relationships. The psychological impact of detention isn’t fleeting but instead has lasting consequences, possibly resulting in complex psychological disorders.

Safety and Health Considerations

Our Ambassadors have raised significant concerns regarding the safety and health standards within detention facilities. Are these centres adequately equipped to address the physical and mental health needs of minors? The substandard hygiene conditions and the risk of diseases such as tuberculosis only add to these concerns. Additionally, the absence of recreational or educational opportunities exacerbates the psychological trauma, potentially leading to conditions like PTSD.

The Call for Empathy and Action:

We implore readers to see these children not merely as numbers but as individuals with aspirations, dreams, and the right to a safe, nurturing environment. We advocate for a revaluation of policies, urging a focus on the well-being and futures of these vulnerable young lives.

Detaining unaccompanied minors under the Illegal Migration Act poses significant physical and psychological risks. This policy demands immediate reassessment to ensure the protection and care of these children, who have already faced immense challenges in their pursuit of safety. Detention not only leads to severe emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD but also disrupts the formation of secure attachment bonds and can foster trust issues into adulthood. The lack of hygienic conditions, potential for endemic diseases, and absence of recreational or educational activities further compound these worries. This policy fails to acknowledge these children as individuals with hopes, dreams, and the right to a safe, nurturing environment. Instead, it treats them as statistics, disregarding the harm inflicted upon their physical and mental health. Detention, therefore, is not a solution but a perpetuation of trauma and neglect, urging us to stand against it and advocate for policies that prioritise the well-being and futures of these vulnerable young lives.