New legislation that came into effect on Wednesday grants the Home Office the authority to employ what it refers to as ‘scientific methods’ to ascertain the age of individuals seeking asylum in the UK. This controversial move includes the use of radiographs of molars, hands, and wrists, as well as MRI scans of the thigh bone and collarbone.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has strongly criticized the utilization of X-rays in this context, labelling it as ‘pseudoscience’ that does not meet basic ethical and accuracy standards.
In recent years, thousands of children seeking asylum in the UK have become embroiled in age disputes. Border Force officials, responsible for assessing asylum seekers, can arbitrarily assign a new date of birth if they suspect that an individual is an adult. This determination is often made after only a brief visual assessment, with no comprehensive age evaluation conducted.
An investigative report published last year by ‘i’ revealed that lone children seeking asylum in the UK were frequently misclassified as adults and placed in adult detention facilities. Others faced the imminent threat of deportation to Rwanda.
Until now, assessments to establish the actual age of an asylum seeker have relied on interviews and evidence evaluated by social workers, rather than scientific analysis. Under the newly enacted legislation, individuals who decline to undergo X-rays for age verification may face penalties.
Rebecca Merry of the Care4Calais Legal Access Department expressed her disapproval, stating, “There is nothing ‘scientific’ about this legislation, no matter how hard the government’s PR machine works. Our Age Dispute Team has assisted hundreds of children incorrectly assigned adult birthdates. They approach our service bewildered and distressed by how this could have happened to them.”
“In some instances,” Merry continued, “they possess official identification to substantiate their age, which is disregarded following mere minutes of visual assessment. It is disgraceful that children will now be coerced into undergoing X-rays, exposing them to unnecessary radiation against the advice of medical professionals. As the BDA asserts, ‘Dentists are health professionals, not border guards.'”
Critics argue that instead of resorting to questionable and imprecise methods, the Home Office should address the root causes behind the erroneous classification of so many children as adults, which places them in difficult situations.
