Young Roots · 2024
This report examines how local authorities in England determine the age of asylum-seeking young people whose age is disputed. Researchers analysed 11 age assessment reports and surveyed 32 Social Workers, finding widespread problems including over-reliance on physical appearance, heavy use of the poorly-defined concept of 'demeanour', underuse of gathered evidence, failure to account for trauma, errors in reasoning, and examples of prejudiced language. The report makes 30 recommendations to improve the quality, fairness, and transparency of age assessment decision-making, and calls for age assessment to be placed under the Department for Education rather than the Home Office.