Imagine you’re a teenager. You suddenly have to leave your home, your family and your friends. You arrive in the UK seeking safety but you have no documents to prove who you are and how old you are – these simply didn’t exist in your country. The adults who are asking you lots of questions tell you they don’t believe your age; they think you are an adult.

This is the situation many of the members of our All4One youth support group encountered on arrival in the UK. They found the process extremely difficult and often traumatic. Some of them were moved around the country, made to live with adults or even detained. As it became apparent that a lot of young people were going through this process and not always able to access support, the young people decided they wanted to do something to help.

This Guide has been produced by young people who have had their ages disputed to help other young people going through the same. It contains information about what to expect, who is who, where to get help and advice for how to cope with the process.

They have also created advice sheets for Social Workers, Appropriate Adults and Interpreters – the key people present during an age assessment session.