TL;DR: The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) has launched a call for evidence examining the treatment of children within the migration and borders system. Submissions are invited from individuals and organisations with direct knowledge of Home Office child safeguarding practices, feeding into a formal inspection report.
Introduction
The treatment of children within the migration and borders system has become the focus of a new independent inspection announced by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI). Published on 24 September 2026, the call for evidence invites anyone with direct knowledge or professional experience of the Home Office’s child safeguarding arrangements to contribute testimony, documentation or case-based evidence to inform the inspection’s findings.
This inspection sits within the ICIBI’s wider statutory remit to scrutinise the efficiency and effectiveness of the Home Office’s border and immigration functions, but this particular exercise carries heightened significance given the vulnerability of the group under review. According to the official announcement, the inspection will examine how children are identified, safeguarded and processed across various touchpoints of the migration and borders system, including asylum processing, age assessment, detention avoidance measures and referral pathways to local authority care.
What is the Inspection into the Treatment of Children Within the Migration and Borders System?
The inspection into the treatment of children within the migration and borders system is a formal, independent review conducted by the ICIBI. It assesses whether Home Office policies, procedures and frontline practices adequately protect children who come into contact with UK immigration and border processes, whether as unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors, dependants of adult applicants, or children encountered during enforcement activity. The inspection does not itself change legislation; rather, it produces findings and recommendations that the Home Office may subsequently act upon.
Scope of the Call for Evidence
Who Can Submit Evidence
The ICIBI’s call for evidence is open to a broad range of contributors. According to the published guidance, this includes:
- Legal practitioners representing children in immigration or asylum matters
- Charities and non-governmental organisations working with migrant or refugee children
- Local authorities responsible for looked-after children, including unaccompanied minors
- Healthcare professionals involved in age assessments or welfare checks
- Current or former Home Office staff with direct experience of child safeguarding casework
- Academics and researchers studying child migration policy
The Home Office states that evidence should be based on direct knowledge or experience of the safeguarding arrangements in question, rather than general commentary or opinion.
What Evidence Is Being Sought
The inspection is understood to be gathering evidence relating to specific stages of the migration and borders system where children are present. This includes initial encounters at the border, referral processes to children’s services, age disputes, accommodation arrangements for unaccompanied minors, and safeguarding training provided to Home Office and contracted staff. Evidence may take the form of written submissions, case studies (anonymised where necessary), policy critiques or statistical analysis.
Why Does This Inspection Matter?
The treatment of children within the migration and borders system has long attracted scrutiny from parliamentary committees, the courts and civil society organisations. Previous ICIBI reports and independent reviews have raised concerns about age assessment accuracy, delays in transferring unaccompanied children into local authority care, and inconsistent safeguarding training across Home Office contractors.
This inspection matters because its findings could directly influence future Home Office guidance, staff training requirements, and the legal frameworks governing how children are treated throughout asylum and immigration processes. Given the ICIBI’s independence from the Home Office, its reports typically carry significant weight in parliamentary debate and can prompt formal government responses, including commitments to implement specific recommendations.
Timing and Process
While the exact closing date for evidence submissions was not confirmed in the initial announcement beyond the 24 September 2026 publication date, the ICIBI typically allows several weeks for stakeholders to respond before beginning formal fieldwork, interviews and document review. The final inspection report, once completed, is submitted to the Home Secretary before being laid before Parliament and published in full.
According to the updated guidance, the inspection will consider both policy design and operational delivery, meaning findings could span legislative frameworks as well as frontline practice.
Implications for Affected Individuals and Organisations
For organisations working directly with migrant children — including legal representatives, charities and local authorities — this call for evidence presents a formal opportunity to raise systemic concerns that may otherwise go unaddressed through individual casework. Submissions from these bodies can highlight patterns across multiple cases rather than isolated incidents, potentially carrying greater evidential weight in the final report.For sponsors and employers, this inspection has limited direct relevance, as it concerns safeguarding practices rather than employment-based immigration routes. However, employers sponsoring workers with dependent children, or educational institutions sponsoring students with family members, may find the eventual findings relevant to understanding how the Home Office handles child welfare considerations more broadly across the migration system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the ICIBI call for evidence about? A: The call for evidence relates to an independent inspection examining the treatment of children within the migration and borders system, focusing on Home Office safeguarding arrangements.
Q: Who is eligible to submit evidence to the inspection? A: Anyone with direct knowledge or professional experience of Home Office child safeguarding practices may submit evidence, including legal practitioners, charities, local authorities and current or former Home Office staff.
Q: Will this inspection change immigration law? A: The inspection itself does not change legislation. It produces findings and recommendations that the Home Office may choose to implement through policy or procedural updates.
Q: When will the inspection report be published? A: No specific publication date for the final report was confirmed in the initial announcement. ICIBI reports are typically published following submission to the Home Secretary and after being laid before Parliament.
Q: Does this call for evidence affect current visa or asylum applications? A: The call for evidence does not alter existing application processes. It is a fact-finding exercise intended to inform future safeguarding policy rather than an immediate operational change.
Key Takeaways
- The ICIBI launched a call for evidence on 24 September 2026 concerning the treatment of children within the migration and borders system.
- Submissions are invited from legal practitioners, charities, local authorities, healthcare professionals and current or former Home Office staff.
- The inspection focuses on Home Office child safeguarding arrangements, including age assessment, care referrals and staff training.
- Findings will be submitted to the Home Secretary and laid before Parliament, potentially shaping future safeguarding policy.
- The inspection carries no immediate legal effect on current applications but may influence future guidance and procedures.
Conclusion
The ICIBI’s call for evidence marks a significant step in scrutinising how children are treated within the UK’s migration and borders system. By inviting testimony from those with direct professional experience, the inspection aims to build a comprehensive picture of current safeguarding practices and identify areas requiring reform. While the exercise itself does not alter existing rules, its eventual findings could shape future Home Office policy affecting some of the most vulnerable individuals encountered within the immigration system.