We Want to Be Safe

A new report from Project Play highlighting the devastating impact of record child fatalities and increasing violence against children on the UK-France border.

“Did you know that there’s lots of Kurdish people buried here who died in a boat?

I don’t want to die on a boat.”

- J*, 8, speaking at the funeral of a baby who died during a crossing attempt.

2024 saw a sharp increase in instances of police violence against children and a devastating rise in child fatalities on the UK-France border. More children were killed in the last year than in the previous four years combined.

This report embeds the voices of children throughout to examine the impacts of these events on children. It analyses the policy shifts in both the UK and France that have created a catastrophe for children's rights on the border, and recommends solutions to ensure children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.