Free Hybrid Seminar – Report Launch: Experiences of Accessing Education in Asylum Accommodation

Together with Migrant Children, Public Law Project and Garden Court Chambers were pleased to announce the launch of the report ‘Experiences of Accessing Education in Asylum Accommodation’, following a six-month research project funded by ILPA’s Strategic Legal Fund.

Together with Migrant Children frequently works with children who experience delays in accessing school places when placed in asylum support accommodation. This includes delays of over eight weeks for children waiting on school places where there are large concentrations of asylum support accommodation, or where interim accommodation (such as hotels) have been used at short notice across the country. A key issue is when and where children are dispersed to, which often results in children needing to change schools mid-academic year.

The Home Office’s allocation of asylum accommodation policy assumes that there is a good, blanket availability of school places nationwide. However, Together with Migrant Children was concerned that the policy did not appear to take into account the availability of school places on an area-by-area basis, meaning that some children are placed in areas where there is a chronic shortage of school places, generally in areas of already higher deprivation where accommodation is cheaper to source.

The report considers:

• The experiences of organisations who advocate for asylum seeking children.
• The experiences of children and the impact of delays starting school on their wellbeing and development.
• The trend of education delays and school place availability in the context of NASS accommodation.

The report launch set out an overview of the key findings, the legal issues that arise, and be a forum to discuss next steps for achieving systemic change.

Speakers
Stephanie Harrison KC, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Stephanie is a leading public law practitioner who has appeared at all court levels. She has vast experience in the most complex immigration and asylum claims. Her recent immigration practice has focused more heavily on policy challenges and often have a large crossover with her other specialisms including public law, civil liberties and equality and discrimination. Stephanie is highly committed to progressing the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers and has worked tirelessly to positively change the experiences of immigrants coming within the jurisdiction of the UK authorities. She is ranked as a Tier 1 Leading Silk in Legal 500 2025 and in Band 1 of Chambers UK 2025 for Immigration.

Nick Watts, Director, Together with Migrant Children
Nick is an experienced child safeguarding and family practitioner with a focus on migration issues. As a co-founder and director of Together with Migrant Children, he provides specialist support to children, young people, and families in migration. Nick works at both case and strategic levels, overseeing a practice team, developing practice, and collaborating with legal teams on strategic litigation for children’s rights. He also provides safeguarding advice and support to professionals and work directly with families in child protection cases involving migration. Nick contributes to key groups, such as the Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium, focusing on research, practice improvement, and campaigning for migrant and children’s rights.

Lucy Rix, Family Support Worker, Together with Migrant Children
Lucy has worked in a number of different roles with migrant organisations since 1998 including Kalayaan, RETAS, Love to Learn and Praxis. She is now working at Together with Migrant Children as a Family Support Worker. She also works part-time supporting services for migrant children and parents in east London with Globe Community Project.

Matthew Court, Lead Lawyer, Public Law Project
Matthew is a lawyer who joined Public Law Project’s casework team in 2020. Before coming to Public Law Project, Matthew worked as a solicitor at GT Stewart Solicitors, where he acted for a wide range of clients including migrants, looked after children and care leavers. He assisted clients to bring judicial review challenges against public bodies, often on an urgent basis, and regularly acted for parents in Court of Protection proceedings relating to their children. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Matthew worked for over 10 years in the charity sector supporting refugees and asylum seekers, including unaccompanied children, at organisations such as the Refugee Council and the Manor Gardens Advocacy Project.

Dr Jo Hynes, Senior Research Fellow, Public Law Project
Dr Jo Hynes is a Senior Researcher at Public Law Project and recently completed her PhD in legal geography at the University of Exeter. Her work at Public Law Project focuses on immigration, legal aid and related access to justice issues, as well as the role of digitalisation in the justice system. She is particularly interested in interdisciplinary research and partnership working across academia, civil society and grassroots organisations.