A damning new report from Project Play exposes the tragic consequences of inhumane border policies, implicating both the UK and French governments in the deaths of 22 children attempting to cross the English Channel in the last two years. The report, based on the organization's extensive work with 2,192 children seeking refuge in the UK, paints a grim picture of the conditions facing vulnerable families in northern France, where they are subjected to routine violence, displacement, and legal limbo.

The report highlights the deliberate creation of a hostile environment in northern France, with French police routinely using teargas, conducting forced evictions, and even slashing the dinghies that desperate families rely on to reach safety. These actions, documented by Project Play, are not isolated incidents but rather a systematic strategy designed to deter asylum seekers, pushing them into increasingly dangerous situations.

The deaths of the 22 children are not simply accidents, the report argues, but the direct result of these policies. The 2025 deaths, all caused by crushing or asphyxiation in overcrowded boats, underscore the desperation and lack of safe alternatives facing families fleeing persecution and violence. The story of eight-year-old Agdad Hilmi from Turkey, who perished alongside her mother, is a heartbreaking reminder of the human cost of these policies.

Adding to the outrage, the report reveals that UK taxpayers are indirectly funding these abuses through the £473 million provided to the French government for border “securitisation” since 2023. The lack of transparency in how these funds are spent raises serious questions about the UK's complicity in the violence and mistreatment of children at the border. This financial support, rather than addressing the root causes of migration, perpetuates a cycle of violence and exploitation.

The report rightly calls for a statutory inquiry into the UK-France border security operation, demanding accountability for the policies that have led to these preventable deaths. More importantly, Project Play advocates for the establishment of safe and accessible routes for those seeking asylum in the UK. The current “one in one out” scheme, which has been criticized as inhumane and ineffective, has only served to drive families into the hands of smugglers and traffickers.

The report documents the devastating impact of teargas on children, whose smaller respiratory systems make them particularly vulnerable. One four-year-old described the experience as “scary scary scary ouch,” while another child likened the feeling to something “spicy.” The report also details instances of children suffering chemical burns from dinghy fuel and witnessing police brutality against their parents.