The Asylum Process
This page is part of our Young Asylum Seeker Welcome Pack – if you are confused about anything you read in this page, talk to your social worker or personal advisor and they will go through it with you.
You may have already claimed asylum and be aware of the process in the UK. We are aware that the process is long, stressful, emotional. But please know your social worker, foster carer or Personal advisor will support you throughout the process.
You will need to attend interviews where they will ask a lot of questions and it might feel intense. A translator should attend these interviews with you to translate your language and tell others what you say in English. It’s important to know that they must only translate your words. They are not allowed to make any personal comments and must keep all information they interpret for you confidential.
The decision to grant asylum will be made by the Home Office and can take several months. If the application is successful, you will be granted refugee status. If the application is refused, you have the right to appeal the decision. Your social worker or personal advisor will support and guide you throughout the appeal process and you will have access to legal representation.
Any questions, concerns or worries, please share with your social worker, personal advisor, foster carer or housing staff as we all want to make this process as comfortable as possible.
Here are some helpful websites with more information about claiming asylum and the process:
Age assessments
Age assessments are sometimes carried out by social workers to determine the age of young people who arrive in a country without any documents to prove their age. This process is important because it helps to decide how to provide appropriate care and support to these individuals.
There are a few situations where age assessments might be necessary. For example, if a young person claims to be under 18 but their appearance or behaviour suggests otherwise, an age assessment may be conducted. Additionally, if there are doubts about the accuracy of the age stated by the individual, an assessment can help clarify their age.
The potential outcomes of an age assessment can vary. If the assessment concludes that the person is indeed under 18, they will be treated as a child and receive appropriate care and protection. On the other hand, if the assessment determines that the individual is over 18, they will be treated as an adult and may have different rights and responsibilities.
Staying in touch with your family
Contacting family and friends in your home country
We know that it’s so important to you to stay in touch with your family and friends from home and that this can sometimes be difficult. It’s best to chat your options through with your social worker/ PA as they may be able to support you with this. If you want to phone your home country it is cheaper to buy an international pre-paid phone card which you can get from local shops.
Finding family members
If you have lost contact with your family and would like to try and contact them, an organisation called The Red Cross can help. The Red Cross look for missing people and can also get messages to people that are hard to reach. You can contact them at the closest Red Cross office to where you live by emailing plymouthrefugeesupport@redcross.org.uk or calling 01752831619. Or, check out their website for more details.