September 2008
Response from John Wilkes, Chief Executive, Scottish Refugee Council to announcement that the UK Government will remove their reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child with regards to children subject to immigration control:
"Scottish Refugee Council welcomes this move by the UK Government. It is something we and other charities and the Children's Commissioner have campaigned on for some time.
The UK Government must now consider asylum-seeking and refugee children - some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in our society - as children first and foremost, regardless of their immigration status.
In light of this, the Home Office should review all practices and legislation towards refugee and asylum-seeking children, including ending the inhumane practice of forced removal and detention of asylum-seeking children in Dungavel and other detention centres throughout the UK. We are pleased that we are currently working with the UK Border Agency, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to develop an alternative to detention pilot in Scotland, and are hopeful for the results.
We look forward to working with the UK Government to ensure that current and future practice and policy is in line with the Convention and refugee children are treated like all children in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK."