Home Office investigating claims asylum-seeking children ‘kidnapped’ from hotel

The Home Office is investigating reports that dozens of asylum-seeking children have been kidnapped by gangs from a hotel run by the department, a minister has said.

Conservative frontbencher Lord Murray of Blidworth said the Home Office “doesn’t know of any cases of kidnap” and he understood “nothing like that” has been reported to it.

But the Home Office minister confirmed the reports are “subject of an investigation”.

An Observer investigation cited child protection sources and a whistleblower working for a Home Office contractor as describing how youngsters were abducted off the street outside the Brighton hotel and bundled into cars.

Lord Murray also gave wider figures in which he confirmed that 200 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children remain missing after initially being accommodated in hotels since July 2021, adding 88% (176) are Albanian nationals.

Speaking during an urgent question session, Labour’s home affairs spokesman Lord Coaker said: “We’re all horrified about what we’ve heard and read about these cases of children going missing – and I will use the term kidnapped – from some of these homes.

“Is it true that the Home Office was warned months ago about these problems? Is it true that the Home Office ignored those warnings and failed to act, because if it is it’s a failure of the state to act as a parent.

“And with Home Office sources denying these children have been kidnapped, can the minister at least confirm that the department accepts legal responsibility for their safety now even if they didn’t in the past?”


More Albanians?

Albanians have always been front players in UK crime.

The Albanian President complained that the so-called refugees being hounded by the authorities over here. Is he too profiteering from the illegal drugs trade, youngster kidnappings and the resulting crimes committed over here?

So let me get this right, CHILDREN go missing and its immediately assumed its Albanians to blame, without an inch of proof? who's in charge of child protection over these children? sounds like extreme negligence to me from the Government. 

I agree Pixie, I also saw the article in the OP and I don't recall any mention of Albanians being to blame. But I can't say that these alleged abductions  surprise me, its something thats being going on in and around childrens homes, for years, some youngsters are being taken from thier homes and returned hours or even days later, police and social services dont' seem at all interested even though they've been repeatedly informed of whats happening. BBC journalist Katie Razzle has done a load of speical reports on this for Newsnight.

My questions are... why aren't these children who are in one of the most vulnerable categories, given social workers and put into social care if they're unsupervised by adults? why aren't they being monitored for their safety? Children here are supposed to be protected by the Every Child Matters framework is supposed to protect them! Every child matters is statutory guidance on how UK Visas and Immigration are making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

This statutory guidance has been issued jointly by the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families under section 55 (3) and 55 (5) of the Act to accompany this duty.

Short answer is that putting a single child in to State Care costs from £14000 pa to £42000 pa - so for a very young child potentially up to 2/3rds of a million pounds in total.

The Albanian President complained that the so-called refugees being hounded by the authorities over here. Is he too profiteering from the illegal drugs trade, youngster kidnappings and the resulting crimes committed over here?

Good question Sam.

Is anyone actually concerned for the missing children? 

The Home Office is investigating reports that dozens of asylum-seeking children have been kidnapped by gangs from a hotel run by the department, a minister has said.

Conservative frontbencher Lord Murray of Blidworth said the Home Office “doesn’t know of any cases of kidnap” and he understood “nothing like that” has been reported to it.

But the Home Office minister confirmed the reports are “subject of an investigation”.

An Observer investigation cited child protection sources and a whistleblower working for a Home Office contractor as describing how youngsters were abducted off the street outside the Brighton hotel and bundled into cars.

Quite right. At least it's being investigated.

There is a big difference between guidance and law. Not following guidance is not necessarily a crime, whereas overstepping the law is, fluff.

And what about child welfare and protection? Where's the protection that puts these undeprvised kids in danger, who's responsible for that that? 

Your comments are purely speculation Sam most of the comments are speculative,  there isn't even any solid evidence the missing children are Albanian for a start... everyone's just gone of the anti Albanian rampage, haters are going to hate I suppose. If kids are going missing they should have been protected under child protection laws here they shouldn't be unsupervised. They should have been given support or social care in a safe place. 

Haters will always hate. We see hatred for many whose only crime is to be of the wrong political persuasion. People can be very shallow.

Oh yes this thread expresses that quite clearly,.when people seem to be more concerned about labelling and complaining about asylum seekers when missing children should surely be the main concern at the heart of this topic.

Oh yes this thread expresses that quite clearly,.when people seem to be more concerned about labelling and complaining about asylum seekers when missing children should surely be the main concern at the heart of this topic.very shallow indeed. Cold in fact.

Haters will always hate. We see hatred for many whose only crime is to be of the wrong political persuasion. People can be very shallow.


You don't have to travel far from this forum to experience that.

And what about child welfare and protection? Where's the protection that puts these undeprvised kids in danger, who's responsible for that that?

Oh now you're concerned about kids and their welfare.
Maybe a drag act took them for a reading session.....

"""So let me get this right, CHILDREN go missing and its immediately assumed its Albanians to blame, without an inch of proof? who's in charge of child protection over these children? sounds like extreme negligence to me from the Government. """


Agree...Albanian or not it's children we're talking about here. They were put in hotels because our children's services are under extreme pressure. I know first-hand the pressure child protection social workers are under - well the ones still working! Many are off 'sick' with covid or stress etc and the ones left are working long hours and on their knees - finding it difficult to place the many children coming into care. They work tirelessly to stop this from happening. I could go on.

We're not talking about one child [heavens forbid if this was a UK child] but now in the hundreds and sitting here blaming and moaning is easy. I have to listen to family ...""its says in the papers"" [ffs] going on about migrants coming into this country without even thinking about them being human beings and the desperation they face to leave their home for a better life. And the humans exploiting them.

HA...thin edge of the wedge. Exploitation in its many forms goes on everywhere. I shall watch with interest how this all plays out...if it ever does!!

Within these threads you can find the milk of human kindness- it's just well hidden!
It can be very interesting to read personal views on things like this.

200 hundred children are missing, one believed kidnapped from a hotel in Brighton run by the homes office for unaccompanied child migrants, many from small boat crossings, witnesses say they saw young people being bundled into cars outside the hotels. 176 of the children were of Albanian origin. NGO's have ben warning the Home Office for over a year about the dangers faced by placing children and young people in hotels, the Home Office has refused any help or advice from NGO's in how best to help and support and most importantly keep these people safe. many staff in the hotels "looking after" these children and young people have had no DBS checks.

It's good that the Home Office is investigating and not before time.

Shame they didn't think of all this before and follow basic child protection procedures then they wouldn't need an investigation and children and young people would end up more traumatised than they already are.

I think it's an incredible let down on behalf of those children! they need sacking for that! it's a disgrace! how on earth are they ever supposed to get those children back to safety I don't know! You're right Hen, must be terrifying, coming here as a child, making that journey, being processed chucked in a hotel and then taken. The Home Office need to show some responsibility for this!H I don't know how you have a top post for that comment it's ridiculous, clearly you have an issue with drag artists, kids are at more risk in the safety  of the bloody church! 

wonderoushen Female
19 minutes ago
Shame they didn't think of all this before and follow basic child protection procedures then they wouldn't need an investigation and children and young people would end up more traumatised than they already are

Absolutely.