Several organisations including The Bevan Foundation, The Children’s Society, Children’s Legal Centre Wales, and the British Red Cross are calling on the Welsh Government to form an independent national Guardianship Service.

The proposed service aims to safeguard the rights and interests of every Unaccompanied Child in the country.

This appeal is part of the newly unveiled research briefing labelled A Guardianship Service for All Unaccompanied Children in Wales.

The briefing underlines the scarcity of support for these children, who are often left without vital services, have their access to justice impeded, and face obstacles while applying for asylum.

The brief details features of a highly effective Guardianship Service for Unaccompanied Children, clarifying the crucial benefits that such a guardian can provide.

These include promoting a child's best interests, identifying when they may be susceptible to exploitation, and enhancing their legal and educational outcomes.

The authors argue that such a service is overdue, noting that its implementation would reduce workloads and financial strains in other professional sectors, such as social services.

Unaccompanied Children, defined as youngsters separated from their primary carers and devoid of a responsible adult carer, represent some of the most vulnerable members of society.

They are often burdened with the convoluted asylum process while dealing with trauma and displacement.

The report emphasises that all children, regardless of their circumstances, should enjoy the privileges acknowledged in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This right is enshrined in Welsh law and includes asylum-seeking kids who should receive the same protection as any child temporarily or permanently separated from their family.

The briefing's findings indicate that less than half of Unaccompanied Children in Welsh care receive help when dealing with asylum processes.

In 38 per cent of local authority areas across Wales, social workers are solely responsible for guiding these children through legal advice and representation.

The appeal for a Guardianship Service for Unaccompanied Children has long standing and is widely supported, evidenced by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

In 2023, a government-commissioned report recommended establishing such a service, and the Welsh Government gave a commitment to pilot the service under the 2019 Nation of Sanctuary Plan.

Despite these developments, the initiative has yet to see implementation.

Tom Davies, senior policy officer for Wales at The Children’s Society, said: "When an Unaccompanied Child arrives in Wales, they have gone through unimaginable hardship and are often traumatised.

"They need to engage with various services, as well as find their way through a complicated asylum process.

"Guardians would serve as a consistent point of contact and trust for children and would provide a vital independent source of protection and advocacy to supplement and support the work of local authorities.”

It’s recommended that appointed guardians for these children be adept in immigration law.

Isata Kanneh, The Bevan Foundation’s Access to Justice lead, said: "Evidence from Scotland shows that legally qualified Guardians improve outcomes for refugee children.

"The legal aid system in the UK is on the point of collapse, and in Wales Unaccompanied Children can struggle to find a solicitor.

"Guardians who understand the law can support children to get better representation, liaise with solicitors, and guide children through the asylum process, ensuring that they can exercise their legal rights."

Dr Rhian Croke, child rights strategic litigation and policy advocacy lead, Children’s Legal Centre Wales, said: "The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in May 2023, during their examination of the UK’s children’s rights record, asked why Unaccompanied Children do not have access to a Guardianship Service in England and Wales.

"They again recommended that one is established with urgency on a statutory basis.

"Given Wales is both a children’s rights respecting nation and a nation of sanctuary, it seems strange that it has taken so long to establish this vital service to protect the rights of such vulnerable children."