On June 22, 2016, after an 8,000 mile journey, 20 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children arrived in Leicestershire.
Little is known about how the group made their journey from Vietnam.
But when they arrived in the county they became the responsibility of Leicestershire County Council.
They were just some of the many that arrive in the county each year, and on arrival the council has a statutory duty to take care of all of them.
Of these 20, 15 were deemed to be children and were looked after by the authority.
The other five disappeared.
How many unaccompanied asylum seeking children arrive each year?
Almost half of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs) that have arrived in Leicestershire over the last three years have actually been adults.
In 2016/17, 52 unaccompanied asylum seekers arrived in the county claiming to be under 18. Of these 27 were deemed to be adults, seven went missing before their age could be determined and two were reunited with family in this country and their cases were then closed.
The remaining 16 went on to receive support from the county council as looked after children. Of the 16, two were under the age of 16 and the others were 16 to 17 years old.
There were 27 new arrivals in 2017/18. Of the 27, 12 were deemed to be adults and two went missing before their age was determined. The rest were accommodated by the county council.
The high figure for 2016/17 was due to the arrival of the 20 Vietnamese unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in the area on one day.
There have been 15 new arrivals since April 1 this year - four of them were found to be adults.
The figures were revealed by Leicestershire County Council in response to a freedom of information request.
What happens on arrival?
After presenting to authorities in the county, a series of assessments are carried out. Social workers work out how old the UASCs are and try and find out as much as they can about where they have come from, their journey and why they are now here.
When asylum seekers who arrive are found to be 18 or over they become the responsibility of the Home Office who provide them with accommodation and support in seeking asylum or send them home.
What does the county council say?
A spokesperson for Leicestershire County Council said: “We’re very committed to ensuring that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children receive the care and support from a specialist team whose work has been acknowledged by Ofsted.”
Currently 31 looked after children in the council’s care were UASCs. And so far in 2018/19 there have been 29 care leavers - an adult who has spent time in foster or residential care, or in other arrangements outside their immediate or extended family before the age of 18. Care leavers remain in contact with children’s services which continue to provide support.
Leicestershire Live asked for the costs involved in looking after unaccompanied asylum seeking children but the council did not provide an amount.
A spokesperson said: “Costs include accommodation and support as well as assessments and visits, including an interpreter and an independent person.
“Costs would depend on the individual’s needs."
The figures in Leicester
The picture was slightly different in the city where there are currently 18 young people who are unaccompanied asylum seeking children being looked after by Leicester City Council.
Figures released by Leicester City Council show that in 2015-16, 16 young people were were supported by the authority’s children’s services department.
In 2016-17 the figure rose to 28.
Of the 44 young people the authority had contact with over the two year period, 34 were age assessed with 24 found to be children. The other ten were deemed to be 18 or over.
What does Leicester council say?
A spokesperson said: “These children and young people are supported by a specialist team to ensure their social and welfare needs are being met.
“Most unaccompanied asylum seeking children and young people continue to be supported beyond their 18th birthday and have a personal advisor who provides advice and support to help them to achieve independent living.”
