In line with Stephen Shaw's recommendation, in his report 'Assessment of government progress in implementing the report on the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons' (published in July 2018), I have been commissioned by the Home Secretary to report annually on the working of the Home Office's 'Adults at Risk' (AaR) policy.
My inspectors have begun work in preparation for the first annual report, which I aim to send to the Home Secretary in May 2019. This initial review will look at how effective and efficient the Home Office is in identifying vulnerability both at the point where an individual is being considered for detention and also during the time someone is held in detention. It will cover detainees held in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) and those held in prisons under immigration powers.
I am now inviting parties with relevant knowledge and expertise, including NGOs, academics, think tanks, faith groups and representative bodies, to write to me by 14 February 2019 with evidence about the working of AaR, with supporting case studies and statistical evidence where possible.
I am also happy to receive evidence from individuals, including those who have experienced immigration detention, however please note that my remit does not extend to investigating or making decisions about individual cases. This remains a Home Office responsibility.
As well as seeking evidence for this first annual AaR report, I am also interested in establishing a regular consultation process with key stakeholders, along similar lines to ICIBI's existing forums. The main purpose of a new 'AaR Forum' would be to inform the scope of future AaR annual reports and any related inspections. It would be helpful if organisations interested in becoming a member of an AaR Forum could refer to this in their evidence submission. Like the existing forums, the aim would be to meet 2-3 times a year, with the first meeting in May.
