Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in the UK: Protecting their Best Interests in the Controlled Migration Regime

Abstract

 In every year, unaccompanied children from different parts of the world are looking for asylum in the UK because of socio-economic and policitial reasons in their home countries. Due to the hostile environment
policy of the UK government against the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), they are treated as ‘undeserving’ by the immigration authority. Though the UK government has ratified the UNCRC, but the best interests of the UASC have not been ensured in many instances. Consequently, the protection of the UASC is basically considered as a last resort when no other alternatives are available. With a view to uphold the rights and interests of the UASC in the light of the core principles of the UNCRC, the Children Act,
1989 has already incorporated certain provisions. But, this protective framework of law is not free from flaws. As a result, the apex courts in the UK are providing a path for the UASC to combat with the hostile environment policy and to secure the protection by upholding their rights and interests. So, this article depicts how to ensure the best interest of the UASC within the framework of law relating to children in the antagonistic and controlled migration regime.