Unaccompanied child asylum-seekers may be removed from Britain forcibly if they refuse to leave voluntarily after their application has been rejected.

Ministers are also planning to end the right to make repeated applications for discretionary leave to stay in Britain under proposals announced by the Home Office yesterday.

The plans for a much touger approach are part of a package that will bring about the dispersal of asylum-seekers under 18 from London and the South East to areas where local authorities have specialist skills for looking after them. There are about 8,000 unaccompanied child asylum-seekers.

Children’s charities condemned the plan to remove failed child asylum-seekers forcibly, saying that it would put them at risk and could lead them to disappear to avoid deportation.

Under the plan children are to be offered financial and benefits packages.

This will include the provision of education and vocational training in their home country.

The Home Office document said: “It cannot be right that individuals should be allowed to remain in the United Kingdom in circumstances when they have refused the offer of return to adequate reception arrangements. We will therefore consider, on a case-by-case basis, enforcing the removal of those who have not reached 18 and who do not accept the offer of an assisted voluntary return where it is clear that the consequences of their actions have been explained and understood by them.”

The Children’s Society gave a broad welcome to the proposals but expressed serious concern about forcible removals. A statement said: “This will cause great distress and suffering to many who have fled torture, war and poverty and runs contrary to the Government’s aspiration to keep these children safe.”

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