Vulnerable child asylum seekers have gone missing from a hotel in Folkestone where they were being accommodated by social services.

According to a report in The Times, the hotel and a second in East Sussex have together been used to house on a temporary basis 287 asylum seeker children who have arrived on Kent’s shores since July.

Kent County Council resumed taking in so-called UASCs (Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children) in September having declared in June it was no longer able to cope with the numbers arriving in the county.

It was the second time the authority had relinquished its role. In August 2020, it formally announced it could no longer cope with the numbers arriving and passed over the task to the Home Office.

The exact number of children who have gone missing has not been confirmed but is said to be small.

KCC said it was important to understand that many children went missing for a few hours - so-called ‘missing episodes’ - rather than going missing completely.

The Home Office said in a statement: “We take the welfare of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children extremely seriously and have safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all those in our accommodation are safe and supported whilst we seek a permanent place for them with a local authority.”

“Children are not detained in hotels, but they are encouraged to stay to receive support. All hotels are selected using commercial agreements used across government, they must meet relevant health and safety legislation and provide their latest health and safety risk assessment.”

“Hotels remain a temporary measure and we are grateful for the support of local authorities, including Kent County Council who have been able to recommence accommodating children in their specialist centres."

Kent County Council said: “Children and young people in care, be they citizen or unaccompanied asylum seeking minors, are not in detention and cannot be locked up in their foster home or placement. It is unlawful to restrict the freedoms or movements of any child or young person without the authorisation of the Courts.”

“Over the past decade Kent County Council has cared for around 7,000 unaccompanied asylum seeking children of which around 10% have had a missing episode. Pull factors such as trying to reunite with family and friends already in the UK or seeking to join existing communities elsewhere are primary features of why this group of young people have missing episodes.”

It cited as an example of how one 10-year-old was found, two hours after going missing, walking with her 12-year-old sister along a main road while trying to reach their mother in Glasgow.

“For a small number there are serious concerns about their welfare and safety, and we work closely with Kent Police, the Home Office, Non-Governmental Organisations and our carers to reduce the risk of them going permanently missing and keep them safe in Kent.”

A record number of migrants has crossed the Channel this year, many in small boats and dinghies.

“Local authorities are responsible for all looked-after children in their area and have a statutory duty to protect children. In the concerning occasions when a child goes missing, they operate missing persons protocols with other local agencies, including the police, to ensure their whereabouts are known and that they are safe.”

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