Age assessment
Age assessment guides and factsheets
When someone arrives in the UK, they may not have identification or documents to prove their age. The Home Office or Social Workers may decide someone is older or younger than the age they give when they arrive in the UK and may do an ‘age assessment’ to try to decide someone’s correct date of birth.
The Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit has produced resources for age assessments. The Young People’s Guide to Age Assessments was written by young people for young people to explain what to expect. There are also separate factsheets for key professionals supporting young people.
The Home Office produces guidance for its own staff about age assessments, which is available to read on the Assessing age (accessible) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) website.
There is also more guidance on the Association of Directors of Children’s Services Age Assessment Guidance website.
Age assessment video
‘Leaving my foster family felt like leaving my own family all over again.’
Young people in Birmingham created a short video about age assessments as part of the Surviving to Thriving Project.