UASC and age disputes
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 concerning unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) who have come into the care of, or for whom care or accommodation responsibilities have been exercised by the council. For the purposes of this request, the reporting period is **1 January 2023 to the date this request is received**. Please provide the following information. **1. Number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children** 1.1. The total number of individual unaccompanied asylum-seeking children first taken into the care of, or provided with accommodation or other relevant support by, the local authority during the reporting period. 1.2. Of that total, the number who were initially recorded by the authority as being under 18 years of age when first referred to, or received by, the authority. 1.3. The number of individual UASC for whom the authority has had responsibility during the reporting period, including individuals who entered the authority's care before 1 January 2023 but remained in its care or under its relevant responsibilities during the reporting period. Please report this separately from the number in question 1.1. Please distinguish unique individuals from placements, referrals, transfers and repeat episodes of care, so that individuals are not counted more than once in a total intended to represent distinct people. **2. Age disputes and age assessments** 2.1. Of the individuals identified in question 1.1, how many had their claimed or initially recorded age formally disputed by the local authority or another relevant public authority? 2.2. How many underwent a formal age assessment, including any assessment conducted by the local authority on behalf of another authority? 2.3. Of those who underwent a formal age assessment, how many were assessed as: * Under 18 years of age; * Aged 18 or over; * Having an age that could not be determined conclusively; or * Having an assessment outcome that remains pending. 2.4. How many individuals were subsequently determined, following a formal age assessment, review, reassessment or relevant court determination, to be aged 18 or over at the relevant time, despite initially being treated or recorded as children? 2.5. For question 2.4, please provide a breakdown by the year in which the relevant determination was made, and distinguish, where recorded, between: * Initial local authority age assessments; * Reassessments or reviews; * Court determinations; and * Decisions or assessments made by another public authority and relied upon by the council. 2.6. How many age assessments resulted in a conclusion that the individual was under 18, despite an age dispute having been raised? 2.7. How many age assessments or age disputes remain unresolved, are awaiting further evidence, or have not resulted in a final recorded determination? **3. Basis and recording of age determinations** 3.1. Please provide the written policy, guidance or procedural document in force during the reporting period that the authority uses when determining the age of a person claiming to be an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child. 3.2. Please state whether the authority records the initial claimed or reported age separately from the age ultimately determined following an age assessment, and whether it records the outcome and date of that assessment. 3.3. Please confirm whether the figures supplied in response to questions 2.1-2.7 include only formal age assessments or also include cases in which an age discrepancy was identified through documentary evidence, information from another authority, a court decision or another process. Please identify the categories included in each figure. **4. Data format and completeness** Please provide the figures as a table, broken down by calendar year (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 to the date of this request), wherever the information is held in that form. Please also provide the overall totals for the full reporting period. For each figure, please identify the number of cases included, the relevant definition or recording category used, and whether the figure represents unique individuals or assessment events. If the authority does not hold information in precisely the categories requested, please provide the closest existing recorded figures and explain briefly what each figure represents, rather than treating the request as unanswerable solely because the authority uses different terminology or reporting categories. If any part of this request is considered too broad or costly to answer, please provide the information that can be supplied within the applicable cost limit and identify the specific part or parts that would need to be narrowed. I would welcome advice and assistance in refining any part of the request that cannot be fulfilled as drafted. I am seeking aggregate statistical information, not names, dates of birth, case files or other personally identifiable information. If any information is withheld, please identify the specific exemption relied upon and explain how it applies to the information withheld. Please disclose any reasonably separable information that is not covered by the exemption. Please provide the response electronically, preferably in spreadsheet or CSV format, or in a table within your response.