General questions
​
1) What is a Merton-compliant age assessment?
A Merton-compliant age assessment is an holistic assessment carried out when a young person’s age is unclear and documentary evidence is unavailable or disputed. It is rooted in the principles established in R (B) v London Borough of Merton [2003], which emphasise fairness, an open mind, and a careful weighing of all available information.
In practice, it involves two qualified social workers, the use of an interpreter where needed, an appropriate adult, a clear explanation of the process to the young person, and an opportunity for them to respond to concerns before a final decision is made.
2) How long does an age assessment take?
A full Merton-compliant assessment typically involves at least two interview sessions, over two separate days, with enough time for breaks, rest, and reflection. Each session commonly lasts 5–6 hours, depending on the young person’s needs, engagement, and safeguarding considerations.
After the interviews, the assessors draft the report, review evidence, and ensure the written analysis is clear and legally robust. Timeframes vary, but many assessments can be completed within a week of the interview stage and should be completed within 28 days.
3) Who can conduct an age assessment?
Age assessments are expected to be conducted by qualified social workers who are appropriately trained and knowledgeable about current guidance and case law. In England, that means Social Work England registered practitioners (and equivalent professional registration bodies in the devolved nations).
Assessments can be completed by local authorities, by the National Age Assessment Board (NAAB) in some cases, or by independent social workers instructed by a local authority or in the context of a legal challenge.
4) What is the difference between a “brief enquiry” and a full Merton assessment?
A brief enquiry is a short decision-making process sometimes used at the point of arrival or referral where a decision is made quickly. These are commonly taking place in Hotel accommodation and rely on physical appearance. A full Merton-compliant assessment is more detailed and is expected when age is disputed and the consequences of the decision are significant.
If a decision is based on limited interaction, lacks sufficient reasoning, or does not give the young person a fair opportunity to respond, it is vulnerable to challenge.
5) Is physical appearance enough to decide someone’s age?
No. Physical appearance and demeanour may be considered, but they are not reliable on their own. Trauma, stress, genetics, nutrition, disability, and cultural factors can all affect appearance and presentation.
A robust age assessment should avoid over-reliance on appearance and instead consider the whole picture (history, functioning, education, family context, journey, and consistency over time).
​
Process and fairness
​
6) What evidence should be considered in an age assessment?
A fair assessment considers all available evidence, including (where relevant): documents, school/education history, medical or expert information (if available), social/developmental history, the young person’s narrative, observations over time, and any professional input from carers/providers.
No single factor should “decide” the outcome. The analysis should show how the assessors weighed evidence and why they reached the conclusion they did. It is vital to research relevant case law i.e. BF (Eritrea) v Secretary of State [2021] Assessments should be conducted in accordance with the ADCS Age Assessment Guidance (2015) and the ADCS/Home Office Age Assessment Joint Working Guidance (updated March 2023), which set out best practice for preparing, conducting, and documenting assessments
7) Do young people have a right to an interpreter?
If the young person is not fluent in English, an interpreter is essential for fairness. The interpreter should be appropriate for the young person’s language/dialect and (where relevant) gender/cultural needs.
Good practice also includes checking understanding regularly and allowing time for clarification—especially where traumatic experiences or shame may affect disclosure.
8) What does “trauma-informed” age assessment mean?
Trauma-informed practice recognises that trauma can affect memory, sequencing, trust, emotional regulation, and consistency of detail. A trauma-informed approach uses pacing, clear explanations, breaks, and a supportive interviewing style, rather than treating inconsistency as automatic evidence of deception.
It also means paying attention to safeguarding, mental health, exploitation risks, and ensuring the process does not re-traumatise the young person unnecessarily.
9) What is a “minded-to” process?
A “minded-to” process is where assessors share their provisional concerns before the decision is final, giving the young person a meaningful chance to respond, clarify, or provide information that may change the outcome.
This is an important fairness safeguard. The final report should reflect the young person’s responses and show that they were properly considered.
10) How many interviews should there be?
There isn’t a single fixed rule, but one short interview is rarely enough for a fair and robust decision. Many Merton-compliant assessments involve a minimum of two sessions with time between them to allow fatigue management and reflection.
Additional sessions may be needed where there are communication barriers, trauma indicators, neurodiversity, or complex histories .
​
Outcomes and disputes
​
11) What happens after an age assessment is completed?
A written report is produced setting out the evidence, the analysis, and the concluded age. The young person (and their representative, where appropriate) should be informed of the outcome and how the decision was reached.
If the young person disagrees, they should be advised about the options to challenge and/or provide further evidence.
12) What if a young person disagrees with their age assessment?
A young person can dispute the outcome and may challenge the decision through legal routes (often via judicial review, depending on jurisdiction and circumstances). Disputes commonly focus on fairness failures—e.g., inadequate interpretation, rushed process, insufficient reasons, or failure to consider relevant evidence.
It’s usually sensible to obtain legal advice early so the appropriate route and timescales can be considered.
13) Can an age assessment be redone?
Sometimes, yes. A reassessment may be appropriate if new evidence comes to light, if the initial process was procedurally unfair, or if the initial decision was based on limited information.
A reassessment should still be approached with an open mind and should address the deficiencies of the earlier work.
14) What is the NAAB (National Age Assessment Board)?
The NAAB is a Home Office function that can conduct age assessments in certain circumstances, intended to add capacity and consistency. Some local authorities refer cases to NAAB, and the Home Office may be involved in referral pathways.
Professionals and organisations have raised concerns in the sector about independence where assessments are connected to immigration decision-making; in practice, many age assessments still happen via local authority social work teams.
​
Practicalities
​
15) Can an age assessment be done remotely?
Remote work is sometimes possible for parts of the process (planning meetings, document review, professional consultation), but in-person interviewing is often preferable for a full assessment—especially where interpretation, safeguarding, rapport, and nuanced communication matter.
If any part is remote, the report should explain how fairness, privacy, and communication quality were ensured.
16) How do you ensure the assessment is child-centred and fair?
Fairness usually involves: clear explanations, pacing and breaks, appropriate adults/advocates where needed, high-quality interpretation, trauma-informed interviewing, and a genuine opportunity for the young person to respond to concerns.
A strong report also shows the assessors’ reasoning transparently—what was accepted, what was uncertain, and why the conclusion reached was the most likely on the evidence.
17) What should a good written age assessment report include?
A robust report typically includes: background and referral context, interpreter details, method and structure of interviews, the young person’s account, observations (without over-reliance on appearance), analysis of evidence, and clear reasons for conclusions.
It should also record any “minded-to” stage (where used), the young person’s response, and how that response affected (or did not affect) the final decision.
18) What is the role of an “appropriate adult” or advocate?
An appropriate adult/advocate can help ensure the young person understands the process, feels supported, and can participate meaningfully—particularly where there are vulnerabilities, learning needs, trauma, or exploitation concerns.
Their presence can strengthen procedural fairness when used appropriately.
​
Training and commissioning
​
19) What does “Merton-compliant age assessment training” usually cover?
Good training usually covers: legal framework and case law principles, fair process and “minded-to” practice, evidence-weighing, trauma-informed interviewing, cultural humility, working with interpreters, common errors that lead to challenges, and report-writing standards.
The best training is practical and includes examples, templates, and quality assurance approaches—not just theory.
20) When is it helpful to instruct an independent social worker?
Independent instruction can be helpful when: there is a dispute or likely legal challenge, a local authority needs capacity support, there is a need for an external view, or where there is value in joint working/mentoring to upskill staff while completing a case.
An independent report is often most valuable when the methodology and reasoning are transparent and clearly aligned to fairness principles and current guidance.