Ms Jennifer DeWan:

We work primarily with aged out minors. Unaccompanied minors under 18 are in the care system and receive a significant amount of support. The supports that we provide kick the moment those minors reach 18 and enter the direct provision system. We offer support to and work with quite a few aged out minors. Issues that arise include the fact that their needs do not stop on their 18th birthday. When they enter the direct provision system they end up with a whole new cycle of issues and problems. The transition into direct provision can be very difficult. By pushing for younger minors, 15 or younger, we are not acknowledging the longer-term care needs of aged out minors.

I am not sure if the question emanates from concerns about the situation in the UK. Questions have been asked about how we determine a person's age and newspapers like the Daily Mail have published articles about minors at Calais claiming that some are not minors but are, in some cases, in their 30s. The fact that the consent of an adult is required before a medical examination can be carried out on a minor to determine his or her age is having a negative impact on unaccompanied minors because there is a push to accept only those who look quite young. We have seen cases, in the Irish context, where people are age disputed. They come in and say they are 16 but that is disputed and they end up in direct provision at 16, on their own. We have seen that happen in a number of cases and it can be very traumatic for the young person in question.

There are lots of issues surrounding the identification of unaccompanied minors which must be addressed.