Research on Unaccompanied Minors

Despite statistical shortcomings on unaccompanied minors / separated children (UAMs/SC) in central Europe (defined for the purposes of this project as Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), public and social welfare authorities believe that the number of these children is growing, and that trafficking in unaccompanied children is on the increase. This research project's aims were to shed light on this phenomenon, and recommend appropriate measures to tackle the problem of UAMs/SC. The available data on UAMs/SC was collected and analyzed, including national assessments completed within the framework of the Separated Children in Europe Programme (SCEP). A stocktaking of relevant projects will assist in determining what has already been done to assist UAMs/SC, and what types of interventions are still needed. Seven country reports were to be drafted based on the available documentation, which would be considered and finalized by experts from the region during a two-day workshop in Budapest. In addition to finalizing the reports, the workshop participants would also draft recommendations for necessary policy and programmatic interventions to combat this growing trend.