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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that the role Barnardo’s has played at Cedars family accommodation centre is replicated in Tinsley House by a similar organisation.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Home Office has now launched a tender exercise in line with Government procurement policy to provide welfare services to families while they are accommodated at the new pre-departure accommodation.

The services to be provided through the new contract will replicate those currently carried out by Barnardo’s at Cedars. The contract will focus on maintaining the current high quality of provision. The tender process will assess the experience and capability of bidding organisations to ensure that the most suitable organisation is selected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training staff at Tinsley House have received to ensure that they are able to work with children.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The training requirements for Home Office, custodial service provider and NHS England staff at Tinsley House pre-departure accommodation are equivalent to those for Cedars.

As set out in Detention Services Order 19/2012 ‘Detention and Escorting Safeguarding Children policy’, updated in May 2016, all staff working with children receive suitable training, which must be at least equivalent to Tier 1 of the Home Office ‘Keeping Children Safe’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that children subject to immigration control are not separated from their family or guardian during the process unless there are safeguarding or welfare concerns.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

For immigration purposes children may only be separated from their parents where it is necessary and proportionate to do so and after having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the children’s welfare.

Decisions on family separations are taken in line with published guidance in the Home Office Enforcement Instructions and Guidance at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-actions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether pre-departure accommodation at Tinsley House will be equipped for families with children and will provide facilities for children to a similar level as those at Cedars family accommodation centre; and when Tinsley House will be ready for use.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Tinsley House is currently under going refurbishment. This includes the facilities identified for the new pre-departure accommodation. The apartment based facilities will be similar to those provided at Cedars family accommodation centre.

These facilities will include a children’s play area in the family reception area; a domestic kitchen to allow families to cook for themselves; and improvements to the outside courtyard and the separate entrance to the proposed pre departure accommodation.

The important assistance to families preparing to return to their home country, provided at Cedars, will remain in place at the new pre-departure accommodation. Cedars will remain open to enable a managed transition to the new location to take place, and Barnardo’s will continue to provide welfare support at Cedars. The timetable for the opening of pre-departure accommodation at Tinsley House is still being finalised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to put in place a specialist escort team to deal exclusively with family returns.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Specialist family escort teams were introduced in 2014 and are part of the family returns removal process.