8347 Managing health needs of unaccompanied asylum seeking children: process and practices in primary care on receipt of initial health assessment
Published Date: 30th May 2025
Publication Authors: Rowland. A
Why did you do this work? People seeking asylum in the UK have the right to access primary and secondary NHS services free of cost but due to multiple barriers, services are often not accessed. General Practitioner (GP) registration may be delayed or denied; transport costs may be prohibitively expensive; and manoeuvring complexities of the NHS healthcare system for a non-English speaker becomes challenging. Unaccompanied children seeking asylum have significant vulnerabilities, including exposure to trauma in their own country and in their journey; exposure to diseases; and many unmet health needs.
What did you do? The aim of this study was to review the implementation process in primary care for health needs action plans of children in care after their Initial Health Assessments (IHAs). The study focussed on how the health needs of unaccompanied children seeking asylum were addressed.
A three-month audit data of IHAs of 65 children (UASC 25) was undertaken in a Community Paediatric Department in Northwest England. Teaching was delivered in primary care about health needs UASCs. A questionnaire survey of 77 people from local GP practices (response rate 100%) was undertaken to identify the process at each practice when receiving statutory Initial and Review Health Assessments (RHA) for cared for children, and how actions are delegated and evaluated. Thematic analysis of the survey responses was undertaken, including the frequency with which specific interventions were noted.
What did you find? Responsibilities for Primary Care included arranging a specific health assessment, actioning reports, coding alerts, reviewing patients, immunisation administration, and both internal and external information sharing. Health actions implementation (79%), acting upon blood test recommendations (57%), undertaking anthropometric measurements (50%) and administering immunisations (60%) all fell below expected standards although full analysis was restricted by lack of data. Data showed a wide and varied team within primary care is involved in considering IHA and RHA reports highlighting the complex actions needed in primary care when it comes to supporting health care plans for vulnerable children.
What does it mean? Unaccompanied children seeking asylum need time and attention devoted to their health needs. Healthcare colleagues must receive effective training and resources. A unified one-stop service for this underserved population can be achieved through partnership with Integrated Care Boards, Local Authorities and Charitable organisations. Commissioning of a national service specification for the care of looked after children who are unaccompanied and seeking asylum should be a national priority, and a service this group of vulnerable children need and are entitled to.
McCallion, N.; Rowland, A. et al. (2025). 8347 Managing health needs of unaccompanied asylum seeking children: process and practices in primary care on receipt of initial health assessment. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 110(Suppl. 1), pp.A242-A243. [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2025-rcpch.331 [Accessed 24 September 2025].
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