EASO has published a new Guidance on reception conditions for unaccompanied children: operational standards and indicators. 

This new EASO Guidance on reception conditions complements the first guidance published in September 2016, with a focus on unaccompanied children. The overall objective of this guidance is to support Member States in the implementation of key provisions of the Reception Conditions Directive, ensuring an adequate standard of living for unaccompanied children and taking into account their special reception needs. 

This Guidance represents one of the key measures identified by the April 2017 “communication from the Commission to the European parliament and the Council on the protection of children in migration”, which gave a mandate to EASO to develop “specific guidance on operational standards and indicators on material reception conditions for unaccompanied children, in addition to the guidance on reception conditions already developed (in 2016) that apply to all asylum seekers” 

This second guidance describes the reception conditions of unaccompanied children as a particular vulnerable group, with partly the same chapters adapted to their special needs and some new chapters as they are specifically relevant for this target group like: information, participation and representation of the unaccompanied children; identification, assessments and response to special needs and safety risks; day-to-day care; staff and finally education, schooling and vocational training.

The standards included in the document reflect existing and commonly agreed practice across EU Member States, as well as good practices identified across the EU. The development process of the Guidance followed a consultative approach, aiming at gathering the broadest possible spectrum of expertise from Member States as well as other relevant actors in the field of reception. The draft document was developed by a working group of experts from EU Member States while counting with the support of a reference group consisting of the European Commission, the Fundamental Rights Agency and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

Moreover, members of the EASO Consultative Forum were invited to provide their views on the document. Lastly, all 28 members of the EASO Network of Reception Authorities were invited to provide their input to the document prior to its adoption by the EASO Management Board at 29th Meeting in September 2018.

The Guidance is available in English language on the EASO website at: /practical-tools.The document is currently being translated into 22 EU languages, which will be made available on the organisation’s website in the coming months.

 Any further information may be obtained from the European Asylum Support Office on the following email address: press@easo.europa.eu