Mothers and babies moved from cramped asylum seeker bedsits

Concerns were raised by charities about cramped conditions at the unit

Mothers and babies seeking asylum have been moved from housing in Glasgow that was deemed "cramped and unsafe".

They were living in bedsits in the city's southside, previously used as accommodation for single men.

A report found the facility lacked space, had limited washing and cooking facilities and was not safe for children to crawl, play or stand.

Housing provider Mears Group has moved the remaining 12 mothers and babies to more suitable accommodation.

The Children and Young People's Commissioner said conditions at the unit were a possible violation of the children's human rights.

• Asylum mums and babies housed in cramped bedsits

• Asylum seekers to be put in hotels across Scotland

It had called for Glasgow City Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Glasgow's Health and Social Care Partnership to withdraw support for placements in the accommodation.

Nick Hobbs, the commissioner's head of investigations, said: "It's a welcome development that mothers and their babies are now living in housing far more suitable for their needs, but we are concerned that it took so long.

"We visited the unit last summer and saw for ourselves how shocking the conditions were. We're pleased that the families have finally been moved, but this can't happen again.

"We must make sure all refugee and asylum-seeking children are treated with dignity and respect for their human rights."

The unit was found to have a lack of space, with limited washing and cooking facilities

The commissioner is now urging the Scottish government to "urgently legislate" to create human rights-based minimum housing standards for children.

Concerns had been raised by charities about the unit in April 2021, which prompted the visit from the commissioner in June.

Issues raised included no space to feed babies, cookers and heaters positioned close to cots, and problems with ventilation - particularly during hotter months.

Mears Group, which is subcontracted by the Home Office to provide asylum seeker accommodation, said the unit had been designed for 38 mothers and babies at a time when there were "significant numbers" to support.

In March it committed to moving the remaining families and to review the future use of the facility.

A spokesman said at the time: "We acknowledge the concerns raised by the Children's Commissioner's report.

"However, these findings do not reflect our intentions around the use of the facility, or the feedback we have had from statutory bodies, which has generally been positive."

One mother who had been moved from the unit said she was now living in improved housing.

"The accommodation we are in now is good, there's a lot of space," she said.

"You can play with your baby on the floor, you can see your baby crawl, you can see the baby going from crawling to standing up and starting to walk. All the steps that a child has to develop when they are growing.

"I'm overwhelmed and I'd like to say a thank you to all the organisations who helped and to Mears for moving us."

Yvonne Blake, from Glasgow community group Migrants Organising for Rights and Empowerment, said: "The mothers' commitment to fighting until every mother and baby was relocated to safe housing must be applauded.

"While we celebrate this victory, families are still living in Glasgow in conditions that breach children's human rights, for example in hotel rooms, for too long."