Channel crossings: Dozens of Albanian child migrants go missing

Almost 20% of unaccompanied kid migrants from Albania taken successful by Kent County Council this twelvemonth person disappeared, the BBC has found.

The section authorization took successful 197 Albanian children up to 31 October but 39 of them person gone missing.

Ecpat UK, which campaigns to support children from exploitation, said the figures were precise concerning.

The assembly said it had worked intimately with the Home Office and constabulary to safeguard susceptible children.

The figures were obtained by the BBC via a Freedom of Information request.

The assembly said 197 Albanian children processed astatine the Home Office's Kent Intake Unit came into its attraction betwixt 1 January and 31 October.

It added that, arsenic of 7 November, 39 had a "current missing occurrence or, for those implicit the property of 18, an ended missing episode, wherever the young person's determination is recorded arsenic remaining unknown".

More than 12,000 migrants from Albania person reached the UK by vessel truthful acold this twelvemonth - an summation of astir 4,000% compared with 2021.

The contented has been highlighted by Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick who said that connected immoderate tiny boats, 80% of those aboard were from Albania.

Ecpat UK said children who disappeared could beryllium exploited, forced to bash operation work, oregon forced into crime, specified arsenic being made to enactment successful cannabis factories.

In a statement, Kent County Council said it had seen a "significant increase" successful the fig of unaccompanied Albanian children referred to its services.

It said: "Whilst each unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are susceptible to exploitation... probe and acquisition evidences that immoderate nationalities are peculiarly susceptible and tin spell missing from section authorization attraction precise quickly.

"Kent County Council has utilized some established safeguarding protocols, including the National Referral Mechanism, and initiated multi-agency strategies to minimise the risks for these children arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.

"The assembly continues to instrumentality a proactive relation successful safeguarding each unaccompanied asylum-seeking children successful its care."