To think only 3 of the 15 migrant children look under 18

[AmyMiller]

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3843900/amp/First-migrant-children-arrive-UK-Calais-French-prepare-raze-Jungle-camp-ground.html?client=safari

This is so ridiculous, many of them look around 25.

the EU has no external borders and inside it has decided it wants a free movement of people zone

Which reminds me ... given the upcoming negotiations around Brexit and free movement, I can't help wondering if the admission of apparent adults instead of children is in any way linked to this

I completely realize that the asylum process is a separate issue, but as so often these things are about perception and the public pressure/support which can follow

Emerald can you be certain these 30 year old teenagers havent been attending Isis camps? Can you? They lie about their age. What else are they lying about? Do you really think we should be allowing people we know absolutely nothing about into "nice, safe Britain". I wouldn't think there would be much objection from most of the UK population if we saw real vulnerable babies, children and younger teens coming in. All we are seeing are young, fit men that are definitely not children - that we know nothing about.

You claim that they are running from war and escaping violence. They are in France! Is France not a safe country??

the Britain I love, which has been a safe haven for centuries for those fleeing from persecution in their own country

Indeed - which is why it stinks when people want to abuse that trust.

what drives people to leave their country of birth and enter another country illegally, hoping for compassion and what drives men from morocco and Pakistan to flee safe their safe countries and flee through safe countries like germany, italy, spain and france to get to the uk?

I did wonder if that was the case myself puzzled, but I don't think that it is. I think it's more likely that things are just chaotic and the left arm doesn't know what the right is doing.

It is fascinating how many are insisting that either they are fifteen and the emperor is naked because after all, many fifteen year olds are shaving/tall/have hit puberty and they have had hard lives. It suggests a real reluctance to actually see what's blindingly obvious.

I think we all understand they have been living in desperate and miserable conditions but this is a choice they've made because they feel at the end of that will be a home for them in the UK. We would be wise to carefully consider what it is about this country they see as so desirable.

it may well be Puzzled, but whether this is a manipulation or not - the fact remains - the EU has no external borders - and a free for all - inside the zone.

On balance you're probably right about the chaos causing this, yesterday - after all, that would fit with what we've seen all too often As you say, perhaps the biggest worry of all is the wilful refusal to see the obvious

the fact remains - the EU has no external borders - and a free for all - inside the zone

This is also correct of course; indeed some might even say it's reason enough in itself for leaving the EU, even though the situation isn't straightforward

I do not understand the logic of some people who think we should be allowing every one who is fleeing their own country for safety over here. Where would it ever end?? I am actually starting to worry about our children's future tbh.

I would imagine that what most of them find agreeable about our country is the opportunity to stay alive.

So much ignorance here.

Why are all of you presuming that these people are men? They may identify as women, so please don't jump to conclusions!

Talk about CIF privilege!

I would imagine that what most of them find agreeable about our country is the opportunity to stay alive

I see so there is no opportunity to stay alive in France then? The main destination for retirees from the UK? Or, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania etc?

Well quite Twogoats. And in any case they clearly identify as under 18s.

Arf @ Cif privilege

Not when your home is being demolished no.

My DH works with a couple of Syrian dentists and they are equally about the ages of these alleged "children". Nobody should be allowed to abuse a system which has been put in place to admit vulnerable children, whatever their reasons are. No adult is more deserving than a genuine child refugee in my opinion.

They all broadly agree with the BDA that dentists can't go round X-raying patients without informed consent but there are ways of incorporating X-rays into immigration procedure. It would be expected that most of these refugees would want to receive NHS dental treatment and it is likely that a dentist would want to take X-rays as part of the treatment. Not routinely but if there was reason to do which it is likely there would be - particularly as none if the refugees are presumably going to be turning up with a full set of notes from another recognised practitioner.

If not, both my ex and I had to have a chest X-ray before being granted visas for Australia 15 years ago. We were quite entitled to decline but wouldn't have got the visas

In any event, there's no need to X-ray in the first instance. Just gave a quick check for wisdom teeth. If someone has wisdom teeth, the likelihood is that they are over 17. It's not an absolute determiner but is pretty indicative.

Why yet again are we seeing young, fit healthy men coming here where are all the women, children and babies

Because they do not want to be drafted into their army. During the Merkel Walk last year a few young men said exactly that. I do not want to go to fight, I want to have a life.

Cue thousands of posts from mumsnetters who had emerging wisdom teeth aged 12

It's disingenuous to claim that the UK is any different from France in terms of immediate threats to life, so to return to the question, why is the UK seen as the ultimate prize?

So people would sooner turn away unaccompanied minors than risk over 17's coming in? If you had fled the conditions these people have you'd be getting to safety by any means possible and you'd probably look a darn sight older than your age. War, malnourishment, walking across continents and sleeping rough aren't known for being great for the complexion. And as for 'how do we know they haven't been radicalised by Isis?' How do we know British citizens haven't been radicalised over the Internet. Perhaps we should throw everyone out just in case?

"Officials are unable to carry out dental checks because such tests require parental consent. As the “children” are unaccompanied, this permission is in effect impossible to obtain. The British Dental Association said it was unethical to test the migrants’ teeth

Absolute bollocks. There such a thing as Gillick competency. How does the Home Office think that unaccompanied 14 year olds get a script for the pill.

The BDA have says that dentists can't go round taking X-Rays without informed consent and a genuine reason. As I've said up thread, if it was part of general NHS treatment and consent was given, it would not be an issue. A refugee could refuse to allow the Home Office access to the results. However, legally, any immigration tribunal would be entitled to draw an adverse inference from that.

They are taking the places of real children, girls and women. The most vulnerable.

The reason these young men endure the squalor of the camp and insist on coming to GB are the generous benefits. The Mayor of Calais said this about 3 yrs ago. If UK was to adjust the rules surrounding benefits and the level of them, fewer would be pouning on the door to be let in. Another reason - as stated on LBC radio some months ago - is that in the UK they are able to dress in the Islamic way. One ME men said that he claimed asylum in France and he & his family had lived there for some years, but he has now moved to England, he loves it here, it is much better than France because ......... my wife can be a Muslim woman.

There you go.

No

I think people want to see robust checks in place that are above all organised and fair.

The point isn't really that a 38 year old has claimed to be 17 (although it means a child is still cold and muddy in Calais - nice) it is indicative that the checks aren't being done properly.

War, malnourishment, walking across continents and sleeping rough don't cause an eighteen year old to look thirty eight.

Are you suggesting that citizenship should not confer any kinds of rights on people, or is that just hyperbole, Bingo?

Cue thousands of posts from mumsnetters who had emerging wisdom teeth aged

Yeah - they're normally the ones with the weak enamel

For the avoidance of doubt, DH's colleague would like it recorded (seriously) that the conditions in the refugee camps etc would not cause wisdom teeth to erupt prematurely, before we get onto that line of attack.

I think I may have persuaded her to sign up though! 👍

They are taking the places of real children, girls and women

Indeed, and we still do not know for sure whether the "relatives" interviewed are in fact relatives.

This may be a scam. We have people traffickers and now - perhaps - we have groups of people who are paid to learn the 'background' to a migrant sitting in Calais, so that under interview they can speak volubly about him as if he is family.

This technique was very prevalent with convenience marriages. The more astute and careful fraudsters would actually spend many hours swotting up about the person they were marrying for citizenship, because Registry Offices and Immigration were getting wise.

If you're referring to the face recognition technology it aged my 9 yr old dd as 28 this morning so I wouldn't rely on it too much.