From frank.corrigan at frankslist.info Sat Mar 1 10:55:29 2008 From: frank.corrigan at frankslist.info (Frank Corrigan) Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 11:55:29 +0100 Subject: [noborders-brum] Capacity & BIA, bribing, vulnerable, 16 - and 17-year-olds Message-ID: Dear Subcribers 1) Capacity 2) vulnerable homeless 16 - and 17-year-olds 1) Capacity I am writing to advise that it is hoped the frankslist.info service will be re-instated later this year, after further work is done on improving the capacity of Exile to deliver it. http://www.exile.org.uk 2) BIA, bribing, 16 - and 17-year-olds BIA accused of bribing Liverpool over asylum scheme We have currently got around 200 asylum-seeking children under 18, and in the last six months BIA has paid out in terms of grants something nearing the cost of looking after them," he said, suggesting the BIA was attempting to "soften up" the council in advance of the dispersal plan. http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/14/107273/bia-accused-of-bribing-liverpool-over-asylum-scheme.html Homeless teenagers: landmark judgment from the Law Lords http://www.howardleague.org/index.php?id=569 Law Lords: Council should have assessed teen under Children Act Councils must assess vulnerable homeless 16 - and 17-year-olds for their eligibility for looked-after children's services, rather than more limited housing support, a Law Lords ruling made clear this week. http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/29/107448/law-lords-council-should-have-assessed-teen-under-children-act.html See: Judgments - R (On The Application of M) (Fc) V London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Appellate Committee What ought to have happened in this case 25. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2002, para 8.37) which was current at the time was clear: ?Responsibility for providing suitable accommodation for a relevant child or a child in need to whom a local authority owes a duty under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 rests with the social services authority. In all cases of uncertainty as to whether a 16 or 17 year old applicant may be a relevant child or a child in need, the housing authority should contact the relevant social services authority. It is recommended that a framework for joint assessment of 16 and 17 year olds is established by housing and social services authorities to facilitate the seamless discharge of duties and appropriate services to this client group.? http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldjudgmt/jd080227a/hammer-1.htm + Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities http://www.asylumsupport.info/homelessnesscode.htm Related: ...since 2004 caring for them has become a lot more expensive for local authorities. Before then, most councils and boroughs accommodated unaccompanied minors in their care as "children in need" under section 17 of the 1989 Children Act, which meant that, legally, they could scale down the level of social care services when they reached 18. ? http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/jan/31/asylum.guardiansocietysupplement1 See: But in a judgment that will affect thousands of young asylum seekers, the high court ruled last month that they should have the same after care package and that support for 16 and 17-year-olds should be equal with that afforded British children in care. This means they must be assigned a social worker to regularly review their health and education needs. http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/story/0,7991,1043290,00.html _____________________________ Change address / Leave mailing list: http://ymlp18.com/u.php?exile+noborders-brum at lists.aktivix.org Hosting by YourMailingListProvider From frank.corrigan at frankslist.info Mon Mar 10 10:19:28 2008 From: frank.corrigan at frankslist.info (Frank Corrigan) Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:19:28 +0100 Subject: [noborders-brum] Volunteer, Mansoor, Screening & Hillingdon, age and identity Message-ID: <7193e713f3d77ad33cd49c1a05a8e93d@smtp.ymlp13.net> Volunteer, Mansoor, Screening & Hillingdon, age and identity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Frank's List - http://www.frankslist.info the asylum, immigration, conflict and rights information gateway - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Contents: [1]... Volunteer Treasurer Wanted [2]... Mansoor Hassan, here to stay [3]... Children?s Commissioner?s reports on: Screening Unit & Hillingdon [4]... Who decides the age and identity of unaccompanied minors? [5]... Asylum and Immigration conferences: March 15th and March 29th [1]... Volunteer Treasurer Wanted Exile is looking for a volunteer Treasurer (Trustee) - http://www.exile.org.uk Summary - A person with good finance knowledge is needed to help Exile manage it's accounts, budget and ensure controls are in place to comply with legislation?s. All Travel and associated out-of-pocket expenses will be paid. Commitment ? Minimum 4 meetings per year. Induction ? Briefing & informal meetings, external training can be arranged. If you are interested in this role, or need to know more, please email: frank.corrigan at frankslist.info An informal face-to-face meeting, or telephone call can also be aranged. [2]... Mansoor Hassan, here to stay Congratulations to Mansoor Hassan and family, whose campaign to stay in the UK has finally succeeded. As a founding volunteer trustee of Exile (http://www.exile.org.uk) his help and support has always been appreciated. Background: Hassan Family Stay Campaign http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/filed%20newszines/oldnewszines/newszine52/mansoor.html Mansoor Hassan and Family Defence Campaign http://www.noii.org.uk/2004/10/23/mansoor-hassan-and-family-defence-campaign/ [3]... Children?s Commissioner?s reports on: Screening Unit & Hillingdon Traumatised and neglected: how Britain fails child asylum-seekers http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/traumatised-and-neglected-how-britain-fails-child-asylumseekers-792760.html Report: Claiming asylum at a screening unit as an unaccompanied child Children?s Commissioner calls for end to unacceptable treatment of young asylum seekers (PDF) https://www.childrenscommissioner.org/documents/Claiming%20Asylum%20at%20a%20Screening%20Unit%20as%20a%20UASC%20-%20FINAL2.pdf Hillingdon report (March 2008) The Children?s Commissioner?s findings and recommendations regarding the care of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the London Borough of Hillingdon This document is aimed at: * Government * Children?s services * Those working with unaccompanied asylum seeking children * Members and staff of the London Borough of Hillingdon We conclude, in the light of our research, that the best interests of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) in Hillingdon are not being adequately protected at present. (PDF) https://www.childrenscommissioner.org/documents/Hilligdon_FINAL4.pdf No longer cast adrift: http://www.asylumsupport.info/castadrfit.htm ? ? ? Hillingdon news release (Word doc) https://www.childrenscommissioner.org/documents/Hillingdon%20press%20release.doc + Evidence from the Office of the Children?s Commissioner on the de-accommodation policy and practice of the London Borough of Hillingdon (PDF) https://www.childrenscommissioner.org/documents/written%20evidence_de-accommodation%20final_CH_080107_0%201.pdf Related: The Queen on the application of Helen Berhe, Yorsmame Kidane, Wahdat Munir, Albertina Ncube (claimant) v The London Borough of Hillingdon (defendant) - Secretary of State for Education and Skills (interested party) http://www.asylumsupport.info/courtcases.htm See: No longer cast adrift http://www.asylumsupport.info/castadrfit.htm London Borough of Hillingdon Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) scorecard 2007 http://cpa.audit-commission.gov.uk/STCCScorecard.aspx?TaxID=103996 Care and support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children covering entitlements to social services support and the Hillingdon judgement http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/Refugee+and+Asylum+Seeking+Children/Resources/Support.htm Changes since the Hillingdon judgement (2003) http://www.researchasylum.org.uk/?lid=368 Report: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/54_2519.htm Leading article: Every child matters ...children seeking asylum. They are sometimes brought to this country by people traffickers, taken into care, and then disappear. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-every-child-matters-793364.html Our children are missing: Most vulnerable youngsters are targeted Social services departments are also being stretched by growing problem of young asylum-seekers who vanish from care soon after arriving alone in the UK ? amid suspicions they have been taken by human traffickers. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/our-children-are-missing-most-vulnerable-youngsters-are-targeted-793496.html [4]... Who decides the age and identity of unaccompanied minors? It was held that a local authority does not have the final say on the matter of a young person's age and identitiy, and that such a decision should ultimately rest with the court. http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/Refugee+and+Asylum+Seeking+Children/latestnews/PRFeb08.htm See: London Borough of Lambeth v. TK & KK http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2008/103.html Related: When is a child not a child? Asylum, age disputes and the process of age assessment http://www.ilpa.org.uk/pub.html [5]... Asylum and Immigration conferences: March 15th and March 29th Joint BASW/Unison Asylum Conference - 15th March 2008, London The conference aims to challenge the UK Government to recognise their full obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The challenge: To launch the campaign to promote the rights and welfare of children without UK citizenship living in the UK To provide information and support for professionals working with these children to enable them to promote their rights and welfare in their every day practice To lobby the Government http://www.basw.co.uk/default.aspx?tabid=53&articleID=706 29th March 2008: Conference against Immigration Controls, London 2nd Trade Union and Community Conference We aim for a conference that is undogmatic and which allows for open debate. Themes identified are: * how trade unions can initiate a campaign of recruitment and organisation of migrants and refugees * Fighting back against the implementation of new legislation 'to prevent illegal working in the UK' * Stopping deportations and detention of members * Defiance not Compliance ? How can unions support and encourage their members in refusing to implement immigration controls in their services - social work, education, pilots and air cabin crew, ticket inspectors... * Immigration, racism and fascism ? opposing racist propaganda, the myths from the Government, the media and the fascists. http://www.29thmarch.org.uk/ _____________________________ Change address / Leave mailing list: http://ymlp13.com/u.php?exile+noborders-brum at lists.aktivix.org Hosting by YourMailingListProvider From shiar at riseup.net Thu Mar 27 00:06:01 2008 From: shiar at riseup.net (Shiar) Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:06:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [noborders-brum] {Spam?} meeting up Message-ID: <58974.127.0.0.1.1206576361.squirrel@tern.riseup.net> Hi all, Both Birmingham Indymedia and NoBorders haven't been meeting up for quite a while. There's a lot going on and a lot that needs sorting out in both groups. So I guess it's time for a meet-up? Unfortunately I am going away on Tues, so i would like to propose that both groups meet up on Monday at The Anchor, say Indymedia first from 7pm, then NoBorders from 8:30. Of course, if it's really inconvenient for people to have two meetings on that same day, then they can obviously meet up without me on another day. Any thoughts? -- Shiar From reghemich at yahoo.it Mon Mar 31 23:02:56 2008 From: reghemich at yahoo.it (Michela Reghellin) Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 01:02:56 +0200 (CEST) Subject: [noborders-brum] michela Message-ID: <940708.66918.qm@web23401.mail.ird.yahoo.com>