Age disputes have always been a key area of focus for the Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium (RMCC) and, in recent years, members have repeatedly raised concerns about the increasing number of children being denied the support and protection they need because they are being treated as adults. As the Home Office has taken increased control over the age determination process, flawed decision-making has increased, and hundreds of children have been put at risk.
One key area of concern for the RMCC has been the introduction of the National Age Assessment Board (NAAB). The NAAB, which was established through sections 50 and 51 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, is a decision-making function within the Home Office that conducts age assessments on behalf of local authorities when requested to do so by the local authority or by the Home Office (even where a local authority does not deem an assessment necessary). Members have supported young people assessed by the NAAB and noted a number of concerns about how these assessments have been conducted. The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) found that serious concerns remain about its capacity, transparency, and quality assurance – raising questions about the NAAB’s ability to fulfil its ambition of being a ‘centre of excellence’.
Read more in our detailed briefing on the National Age Assessment Board