Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 133
Crowded contingency accommodation poses unacceptable safeguarding and equality risks for vulnerable asylum seekers.
Conclusion
Accommodation of asylum seekers with a range of vulnerabilities arising from protected characteristics, including single women, mothers, children and LGBT people, in crowded hotel and other contingency accommodation, including the recently acquired accommodation barges, is unacceptable from both safeguarding and equalities perspectives. Despite the asylum support contracts safeguarding framework, we heard evidence of clear safeguarding risks and people living in fear, often for many months. While the practice of accommodating asylum seekers in hotels and other forms of contingency accommodation persists, there must be effective policies and practices in place to protect vulnerable adults and children from harm.
Government Response Summary
The government states that the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers is of paramount importance and that they have measures in place to protect vulnerable individuals, including working with accommodation providers, having a safeguarding policy, training staff, and a dedicated safeguarding team.
Paragraph Reference:
133
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The safety and wellbeing of all asylum seekers is of paramount importance. We take all reports of safeguarding issues extremely seriously and have measures in place to protect vulnerable individuals. We work closely with our accommodation providers and other partners to ensure that appropriate safeguarding measures are in place. All accommodation providers are required to have a safeguarding policy and to provide training to their staff on how to identify and respond to safeguarding concerns. We also have a dedicated safeguarding team that investigates all reports of safeguarding issues and takes appropriate action. We regularly review our safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that they are effective and up to date. We are also working to improve communication with asylum seekers so that they are aware of how to report safeguarding concerns.