Unaccompanied young people that seek asylum are among the most vulnerable people in society, so it’s perhaps no surprise that they were especially vulnerable during Covid. The Lives on Hold, Our Stories Told project aims to tell the story of these young people.

The LOHST project is an interdisciplinary research collaboration between the University of Liverpool, University College London (UCL), the University of Southampton and civil society organizations representing the needs of unaccompanied young people seeking asylum.

Shining a light

The researchers have worked to produce a docu-animation that aims to highlight what life was like during Covid for children and young people in the asylum system.

The film is based on a 20-month study that examined the life of young asylum seekers from 13 different countries. The team believes it provides the first insight into how young people experience the asylum system in England, especially during the Covid lockdowns. The process found that the lockdowns made existing problems particularly worse, with delays in decision-making made even longer. There was also considerable disruption to crucial services, such as education, housing, and healthcare.

“In a climate of increasing hostility towards asylum seekers, this research shines a light on the challenges and distress experienced by vulnerable unaccompanied children and young people,” the researchers explain. “Their powerful and brave accounts offer unique insights into how the known shortcomings of the U.K.’s asylum processes have been compounded by COVID-19. The fact that so many young asylum seekers face age assessment and reach adulthood before their claims are processed raises serious questions about the value and effectiveness of existing children’s rights protections for immigrant children.”

Key issues

The research uncovered a number of key issues around the impact Covid had on young asylum seekers. For instance, it resulted in longer delays in claims processing. This was especially damaging for young people on the cusp of adulthood as it meant they lost many of the protections that are ordinarily available to children while their application is processed.

There was also a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers whose age was disputed, which meant that many young people were placed in adult accommodation that was dangerous and unsuitable.

The uncertainty that was caused by the excessive delays also had a significant impact on the mental well-being of the young people. This resulted in a large number having to take medication for their mental health, with many contemplating or attempting suicide.

Since COVID-19, statutory and legal services are struggling more than ever to deal with the backlog and to provide the specialist support needed by unaccompanied young people seeking asylum. Unaccompanied young people seeking asylum rely increasingly on an underfunded and increasingly overstretched, charitable sector to meet their needs.

The researchers hope that the research will inform concrete legal, policy, and practice proposals which will prove essential in safeguarding these children and ensuring their rights and welfare are upheld.