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6.1 Medical screening and health assessment

STANDARD 28: Ensure access to medical screening and health assessment and the prevention of health related issues at an early state of the reception process.

Indicator 28.1: Information about the right to healthcare service, the purpose and meaning of medical screening, health assessment and vaccination programmes should be given to unaccompanied children immediately after arrival in the reception centre.

  • Additional remarks: The information should be provided in line with the standards presented in Chapter 1. Information, participation and representation of unaccompanied children (cf. Standard 2).

Indicator 28.2: A medical screening and health assessment should be conducted, if consented by unaccompanied children, as soon as possible after arrival in the reception centre.

  •  Additional remarks: It is recommended that the medical screening and health assessment is conducted at least within seven days upon arrival.
  • The health assessment includes both physical and psychological assessment.

Indicator 28.3: If vaccination programmes are not part of the general mandatory health programmes, necessary vaccinations should be provided to the unaccompanied children.

  •  Additional remarks: Necessary vaccinations should also be provided if the children’s vaccination status is likely to have been interrupted or if it is non-compliant with the national standards.

Indicator 28.4: Unaccompanied children are provided with age-appropriate and sufficient sexual and reproductive health information and services.

Indicator 28.5: Unaccompanied children are provided with contraceptives.

Good practice with regards to the prevention of health related issues at an early state of the reception process 
 It is considered good practice to:

✓ provide unaccompanied children with contraceptives free of charge.