Meeting the needs of unaccompanied asylum seeking children calls for the development of a co-ordinated plan over the short, medium and longer-term, says John Pearce

Unaccompanied asylum seeking (UAS) children have received substantial media attention in recent months. These children and young people are vulnerable, far removed from their families and local communities which places them at increased risk of being exploited by individuals and gangs. They each have their own stories to tell and require the right support and care specific to their individual needs. Although discussion has focused on the systemic challenges to providing the right support, we must not lose sight of the individual children and young people who are relying on us to get this right.