What is the Separated Children in Europe Programme?

Recent years have seen a steady rise in the numbers of separated children arriving in European countries. At the same time experience has shown that the treatment they receive upon and after arrival is at best, not adequate and at worst, potentially damaging. The way in which these children are treated when arriving in Europe requires special attention in terms of protection during and after the asylum process and interim care, particularly in the present climate of restrictive asylum and immigration practices.

The Separated Children in Europe Programme was established in 1997 as a response to this situation and seeks to improve the situation of separated children through research, policy analysis and advocacy at the national and regional levels. It is a joint initiative of UNHCR and Save the Children and is based on the complementary mandates and areas of expertise of the two organisations. UNHCR's responsibility is to ensure international protection of refugee children and of those seeking asylum; Save the Children is concerned to see the full realisation of the rights of all children.

For more info : http://www.separated-children-europe-programme.org

Documentation and Laws

•         Inter-Agency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children. ICRC, IRC, Save the Children UK, UNICEF, UNHCR, World Vision International (2001). www.ecdgroup.com/docs/lib_004784237.pdf

•      General Comment 6: Treatment of unaccompanied and Separated Children outside of their country of residence. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2005). http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/GC6.pdf

•   Guidelines on International Protection: Child Asylum Claims under Articles 1(A)2 and 1(F) of the 1951 Convention and/or 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. UNHCR (2009). http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4b2f4f6d2.html

•    Council of Europe Recommendation 1703 (2005) Protection and Assistance for Separated Children Seeking Asylum (2005). Council of Europe (2005). http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/category,POLICY,COEPACE,RESOLUTION,,47fdfb1bd,0.html

•    Guidelines on Policies and Procedures in Dealing with Unaccompanied Children Seeking Asylum. UNHCR. Geneva, 1997. http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6b3360

•       Separated Children in Europe Programme: Statement of Good Practice, Save the Children Alliance and UNHCR, 2000. http://www.separated-children-europe-programme.org/separated_children/good_practice/index.html

•      Separated Children: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies, Field Guide. Save the Children Federation, 2004.

      www.savethechildren.org/.../SEPARATED_CHILDREN_CONTENTS.pdf

•   Working with Unaccompanied Children: A Community-Based Approach. UNHCR, Geneva, 1996. http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,UNHCR,TRAININGMANUAL,,4a54bc24d,0.html

•    Separated Children: Action for the Rights of the Children ARC Resource Pack. Save the children Alliance, UNHCR, UNICEF and OHCHR (Geneva, 1998).
•    Unaccompanied Children – Priority Actions Handbook for UNICEF/UNHCR field Staff. UNICEF and UNHCR. (Nairobi, 1996).
•   Working with Separated Children: Training Manual. Save the Children, London, 1998.