Social Services have taken a number of “unaccompanied children” into care after they were found in Belfast, it has emerged.
It is believed the young people, who are understood to be from East Africa, were discovered in the Belfast Harbour area on two separate occasions over the course of the last few weeks.
The PSNI confirmed today that they are “liaising with the relevant Heath Trust to understand the circumstances around a number of unaccompanied children who have been taken into the care of social services”.
They added: “Our first priority is the safety and wellbeing of the children involved.”
Police sources have described as “factually incorrect” reports that the children arrived into Belfast in a shipping container.
However other sources have said that the young people, believed to be from Eritrea, told police they had arrived in Belfast in a shipping container and that they travelled with as many as 50 other people.
The figures have not been verified, however, it is believed around six children were found at some stage over the last few weeks. It is unclear who found them.
Subsequently a further group was discovered, possibly with three young people.
Belfast Trust have declined to comment.
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