BASW pledges support for Reker Ahmed

BASW would like to pledge support for Reker Ahmed, a 17 year old asylum seeker who was attacked in Croydon on 31 March. We are deeply saddened by Reker’s ordeal.

Reker is a Kurdish Iranian child in the care system. Social workers provide care and support services for these children and young people who come to this country seeking international protection and, while enquires into the circumstances of this attack continue, we are deeply concerned about the reported rise of racism and violence towards asylum seekers. In October 2016, Home Office figures revealed four fifths of the hate crimes committed during 2015/16 - amounting to just under 50,000 offences - were racially motivated. 

BASW wants all asylum seeking children to receive the best possible care from UK authorities. Currently, hundreds of unaccompanied child refugees who were former residents of the Calais ‘Jungle’ have returned to northern France after being informed they have been rejected by the Home Office. They now have little alternative but to live in small unregulated camps or sleep rough. 

We are calling on the government to take responsibility for adhering to and implementing international  human rights obligations and to address the unacceptable conditions and uncertainty that so many of these children are experiencing. BASW is committed to working in partnership to support the pressures facing local authorities.

A fund has been set up in Reker’s name; click HERE for more information:

Read the Met Police statement on the incident HERE