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<p>The wellbeing of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is our priority. We maintain
that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority
care.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently no unaccompanied children in hotels and unaccompanied
children’s hotel accommodation has been empty since 18 November 2023. Of the 7 hotels
which were operational in 2022, 6 of those were closed permanently on 30 November
2023.</p><p><br> We take the safety of those in our care seriously. We have robust
safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all young people in emergency interim hotels
were safe and supported as we sought urgent placements with a local authority.</p><p>
</p><p>Police forces are responsible for locating missing children, in their region,
in line with standard processes for any missing child in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>When
children who were provided with emergency Home Office accommodation went missing the
MARS (Missing After Reasonable Steps) protocol was followed. The local authority works
with multiple agencies to establish the young person's whereabouts and to ensure that
they are safe.</p><p> </p><p>Children staying in the Home Office hotels were supported
by team leaders and support workers who were on site 24 hours a day. Further care
was provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. All contingency sites
had security staff on site 24/7 and providers liaised closely with local police to
ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.</p>
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