European Union policy is to restrict the entry into the EU of asylum seekers. This has resulted in the detention of many thousands of asylum seekers including children and adolescents in prison-like environments. The available evidence suggests this practice is associated with high levels of psychological distress, anxiety, affective and posttraumatic stress disorder, and deliberate self-harm. Significant numbers of detained asylum seekers are released and some would benefit from contact with child mental health professionals. It is suggested that in keeping with EU policy aims alternatives to detention should be sought. © The Author(s) 2010.

Children and adolescents Asylum seekers human rights posttraumatic stress disorder Detention war trauma Deliberate self-harm European Union

depression mental health service health care policy mental health human social isolation Refugees detention Mental Health Services Health Services Needs and Demand human rights Humans Adolescent Emigrants and Immigrants Risk Factors European Union peer group child health Article prison help seeking behavior Social Environment posttraumatic stress disorder distress syndrome Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic hopelessness Delivery of Health Care child parent relation Child