‘We don’t ask for a luxury life, just basic things’: the experiences of mothers with babies in the UK asylum system

UK asylum accommodation has repeatedly been indicted as failing to meet the needs of pregnant individuals, those caring for babies, and all children. Charity-sector staff supporting new mothers in the asylum system expressed concern that ill-equipped and unsuitable accommodation, overt racism and a hostile environment all increased risk to safety for mothers and babies. Concerned particularly by a series of infant deaths in families in UK asylum accommodation, we sought to understand living conditions of mothers and babies seeking asylum in Glasgow. We explored mothers’ lived experience of UK dispersal accommodation, identifying how this may compromise safety and endanger babies. Working collaboratively with Glasgow-based birth-companion charity, Amma, we trained a participatory research team who have lived experience of the UK asylum system. Combining interviews with four mothers, focus group discussion with 12 mothers, and experiences of five participatory researchers, the team explored how dispersal accommodation affected infant care and mothers’ and infants’ safety and well-being. Thematic analysis of interview and focus group transcripts generated three themes discussed by mothers: fear, fear-mongering and unsafe situations; frustration, stress, hostility, and intimidation; and developing agency, asserting rights and being punished. We found that mothers with babies seeking asylum in Glasgow experience substandard accommodation that exposes infants and toddlers to multiple hazards. Hostility and indirect punishment from housing providers and their use of weaponised incompetence compounds this, denying mothers the opportunity to provide a safe living environment, negatively impacting infant safety, and increasing risk both directly and indirectly.