Overview

• A report reveals that some staff working with children and vulnerable adults in Northern Ireland's asylum accommodation have not undergone necessary checks or training, raising serious safeguarding concerns.
• The average length of stay for asylum-seeking families in hotels in Northern Ireland is 201 days, with some families staying for more than 12 months, leading to significant health, social, and educational challenges.
• Health professionals report young children losing weight due to culturally inappropriate food, and families report negative attitudes and lack of respect from some hotel staff.
• The Home Office has launched an inquiry after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were made to play a game to guess who would be placed in foster care next, highlighting insensitivity and potential distress.
• The Home Office has accepted two of the report's recommendations and partially three others, with work underway to address the findings and improve safeguarding measures for families with children.