‘Alarming’ number of lone children held in UK-run facilities in France

Charities say FoI disclosure that 369 such children were held over 21-month period is hugely concerning'

More than 350 lone children were held in UK-run detention facilities in northern France over a 21-month period, according to documents disclosed under freedom of information laws.

The Home Office has admitted that it failed to keep data on how many properly trained staff looked after the children held in four short-term holding facilities near Calais and Dunkirk in 2022 and 2023.