Autistic Brit, 12, left at asylum centre by council who say there are no foster parents available
Kent Council were slammed for housing the 'vulnerable' lad in a place that has suffered knife and gun crime
AN autistic boy of 12 in care has been put in an asylum centre because no foster parents are available.
Officials were last night slammed for housing the lad in a place that has suffered knife and gun crime.
A source at Kent county council, who are responsible for the boy, said: “It’s despicable.
“He’s a vulnerable 12-year-old forced to live with asylum seekers in a scary, unpredictable place.
“I wouldn’t feel safe letting my own children visit. I’m ashamed of the organisation I work for.”
Violence at the Millbank Reception Centre in Ashford has included a gun incident involving groups of asylum seekers from Albania and Kosovo.
Police were called to a knife fight outside and have had to deal with altercations inside.
The boy, who has a form of autism called pervasive developmental disorder, was taken away from his mum at the age of four as she could not cope.
She was “horrified” yesterday to learn where he is now living.
The mother said: “He’s very vulnerable and has a mental age of an eight-year-old.”
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The lad’s grandad said: “What he needs is round- the-clock care and a loving family. It’s heartbreaking.
“He shouldn’t be in a detention centre with older boys. It’s a cruel thing to do to a 12-year-old who struggles to understand the world as it is.” The boy, who also has ADHD, was sent there on May 5.
The council source said: “Millbank is vile. Bedrooms are dirty and basic.
“Bathrooms are shared. It is known to have a problem with violence.”
In 2009 five carers there were suspended for “cuddling” boys and inviting them back to their homes.
The NSPCC said yesterday: “It’s important children are placed in homes where their wellbeing and safety are top priorities.”
The council refused to comment. A source at the centre said it currently only has 12 occupants and a surplus of care staff.