Forty children who went missing from hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK have still not been found, a parliamentary report published on Thursday states. Ministers are facing calls from MPs and peers to explain what actions are being taken to locate this group, two of whom are believed to still be under 18.
The figure emerged in a report by the joint committee on human rights, which focused on how the social care system is failing young adults. In 2023, it was reported that over 440 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children had gone missing from Home Office hotels. Helen Waite, a director of children’s social care at the Department for Education, informed the committee in June that a total of 472 children had gone missing, with 432 subsequently located.
The committee welcomed the fact that the majority of missing children have been found but expressed continued concern for those who remain missing. It has called on the Home Office to clarify specific actions being taken to locate these children, investigate the causes of their disappearance, and prevent future occurrences. The committee has requested quarterly updates from the Home Office on efforts to find the missing children.
A government spokesperson stated that police forces are responsible for investigating missing children cases, and that records are being reviewed, information shared, and work conducted with local authorities and safeguarding partners to support these investigations.