British children are paying a heavy price for the UK’s unprecedented use of citizenship stripping, says a new study from Lancaster University. Many remain stuck in dangerous camps in north-east Syria, losing crucial years of their childhood.

Some orphans and unaccompanied children have been brought home. But for those detained with their mothers, the situation is far worse. Mothers are sometimes forced to give up their children so they can be repatriated, splitting families apart. The study describes this as a violation of human rights and the fundamental right to stay with one’s family.

The plight of the stateless

The report draws on interviews with charities focused on statelessness and children’s rights. It questions whether children linked to ISIS should be treated as victims or security risks. The authors argue that the UK’s refusal to bring them back goes against international human rights law and ignores the basic need to protect children.

They call for a child-first policy that ensures the safe return of British children and their caregivers. This would include reinstating citizenship for families who lost it and making family reunification a priority.

The UK is falling behind other countries. Since 2019, 38 nations have repatriated many of their citizens from Syria. Britain, however, has only brought back 18 children—mostly orphans or unaccompanied minors—and three women.

Stuck in limbo

Rights and Security International, a London-based advocacy group, tracks these efforts. Its data shows that 20 to 25 British families are still in Syrian camps. Many are stuck in legal battles over citizenship in UK courts.

The report shares heartbreaking stories, including British children watching their friends from other countries leave the camps while they remain trapped.

“Protecting children must come first,” the authors say. “That means restoring citizenship and bringing British children and their families home to prevent further trauma and harm.”