Guardianship systems for unaccompanied children in the European Union: developments since 2014
Type
Report
Region
European Economic Area,
South Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Organization
European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)
Year
2022
Language
English
| In 2015 and 2016, the numbers of unaccompanied children arriving in Europe increased dramatically, straining national guardianship systems. This report looks at how EU Member States, as well as North Macedonia and Serbia, have adapted their guardianship systems for unaccompanied children since that time. The report shows that, overall, although legislative changes have taken place in many Member States, national guardianship systems continue to face many challenges. The guardianship systems also still vary greatly across the EU. In this report:
The objective of this report is to support Member States in improving their guardianship systems. The research assesses the challenges faced during a period of increased arrivals, the responses of Member States and promising practices. This provides useful information for updating FRA’s 2015 report on guardianship systems for children deprived of parental care in the EU. That report provided an overview of guardianship systems in the (then) 28 Member States, with a specific focus on their role in responding to child trafficking. It was published before the increase in arrivals in the EU of migrants and asylum seekers, including unaccompanied children, in 2015 and 2016. The present report examines how Member States have since adapted their guardianship systems for unaccompanied children. |
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