Missing asylum-seeking children spark Cleveland Police probe

Cleveland Police has a dedicated team to investigate when new arrivals subsequently go missing

Five asylum-seeking children who arrived at Teesport unaccompanied and went missing while in council care are being sought by police.

Between January and October, 22 children arrived at the port on their own and were given temporary admission while their statuses and asylum claims were determined.

Five have now absconded and there are fears they might have been trafficked.

The council and Cleveland Police are working together to try to locate them.

'Slavery link'

Sgt Rachel Morgan, of Cleveland Police's missing persons team, said: "[The force] has dedicated officers in our recently established missing persons team whose remit is to work with partners - including the National Crime Agency, our own cyber crime team and local authorities - to investigate instances where new arrivals subsequently go missing. 

"The team, alongside Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, is currently investigating five unaccompanied asylum seekers who have gone missing," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

"Where appropriate, for example if [we] uncover any trafficking or slavery link, we will escalate these cases to our complex exploitation team."

Councillor Alison Barnes, the deputy leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council and the cabinet member for children's services, confirmed that those on the missing list had absconded from care placements during the night.

"The welfare of children is paramount and our highly committed social workers and officers take their duties to asylum-seeking children and refugees extremely seriously," she said.

"Some are trafficked and they come into Redcar and Cleveland and then disappear because they have been promised jobs and inducements to go down to London mainly.

"It can be very difficult to find these children and even if we do find them and bring them back they disappear again."

She added: "We work hard to ensure that unaccompanied children are well looked after and we have many examples of children arriving, settling and doing well.

"In terms of children going missing it is a small number and we work with other agencies to try and locate them and provide support." 

The unaccompanied youngsters had arrived at Teesport

The Home Office said local councils were responsible for all looked-after children in their area, including unaccompanied children arriving from overseas, and robust safeguarding procedures were in place to ensure they were safe and supported.

It did not respond to questions about the measures in place to manage asylum seekers attempting to enter the UK via Teesport.

However, on the issue of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children going missing from care, a spokeswoman said: "A child going missing is an issue of great concern.

"We work closely across government and with local authorities to ensure that these vulnerable children are provided with placements they need and deserve."

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