By Nancy Benson (Refugee Action’s Get Connected youth project)
Get Connected is a Refugee Action project for young unaccompanied asylum seekers aged 15 to 18 in Liverpool. Young asylum seekers arriving in Liverpool alone are placed in shared or single accommodation by Liverpool City Council with private agencies and are given a weekly living allowance. Some are placed in foster care. Although the law is clear that young people under 18 are protected by the Children Act 1989 and other related laws and conventions, young asylum seekers face many barriers to a healthy, happy and constructive life. Our approach is informal, young person-led, and sensitive to the specific needs of unaccompanied young asylum seekers in the UK.
