The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Hampshire has decreased.

Hampshire County Council has revealed that as of May this year, there were 1,739 children in care in total, including 161 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children under the age of 18.

Many of these children are fleeing war-torn countries, such as Sudan and Afghanistan, a council report said.

Over the last 12 months, the number of children in care in Hampshire has remained stable, with a “gradual decrease” in the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, according to the council.

As of June last year, a total of 275 UASC were being looked after by the council, “the highest it has been”.

Previously the number of such children had been increasing – from 67 in 2020/2021 to 106 in 2021/2022 and 228 in 2022/2023. There has now been a decrease of 114 in the last 12 months.

The council noted that children often arrive in the UK during the warmer months, so this may increase over the summer.

The data also revealed that of 161 asylum seeker-children, the majority are between 16 and 17 years old and are from Sudan, representing a “slight change” over the last year, when Afghanistan was the highest nationality.

In total, 55 Sudanese children are looked after by the county council, followed by 51 Afghan children.

At a recent select committee, Conservative councillor Tim Davis asked: “We’ve got 55 Sudanese, why are they here? I’m not blaming them, I’m just wanting to know why they are here.”

Steph How, deputy director for children’s services, said that those children are seeking refuge from war-torn countries. She added: “We have the duty to make them safe.”

Director of children’s services, Stuart Ashley, highlighted that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children seek refuge “to stay safe” not only from war, but also from poverty and other tragedies.

“Very often their families got persecuted, and that’s a story that we get over and over,” Mr Ashley said.

“Each child’s situation is different, but the common thing is persecution.”