Publication date: 20 June 2023
The Belgian authorities are looking to improve/review the special residence procedure for unaccompanied foreign minors, known as the Best Interest Procedure. In this context, Belgium launched three ad hoc queries to seek information from other Member States on (i) similar residence procedures specifically for UAMs, (ii) procedures followed in case return to the country of origin is considered and (iii) steps taken to implement return decisions.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Publication Type: EMN Reports & studies
Keywords: residence procedure, unaccompanied minors
Publication date: 03 March 2023
The Dutch National Contact Point (NCP) to the European Migration Network launched an ad hoc query on the existing data on unaccompanied minors (UAMs) outside of international protection procedures in other Member Countries. With this query, the Dutch NCP wanted to get a better picture of the total influx of UAMs in a European perspective.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Publication Type: EMN Reports & studies
Keywords: unaccompanied minors, data collection
Publication date: 24 November 2022
What measures, structures and systems are in place in the EU Member States and Norway to provide transitional support to unaccompanied minors after reaching the age of majority? This new EMN inform investigates the transition that unaccompanied minors face as they age out of care systems in the EU and Norway.
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Publication date: 25 October 2022
Unaccompanied minors who have little or no perspective of receiving a residence permit within EU Member States, may have co-existing problems such as mental health issues or substance addiction. This ad hoc query examines how EU Member States deal with this specific group and how they could improve the reception and supervision of these young persons.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Publication Type: EMN Reports & studies
Keywords: unaccompanied minors, mental health, criminality
Publication date: 10 March 2021
How do Member States ensure the protection of children in migration procedures, and what measures are in place in relation to guardianship, accommodation, transition into adulthood, and many more? This report from the European Migration Network (EMN), published on 10 March 2021, maps the state of implementation in 2019 of the recommendations laid down in the 2017 European Commission Communication on the protection of children in migration.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Publication Type: EMN Reports & studies
Keywords: children, unaccompanied minors, protection
Publication date: 24 September 2020
24 Member States provided information on national laws and practices regarding the detention of families with children in migration procedures, the possibility to detain one of the parents and detention in the context of the age assessment process.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Publication Type: EMN Reports & studies
Keywords: detention, families, unaccompanied minors
Publication date: 08 April 2020
The phenomenon of unaccompanied migrant children going missing has increasingly been in the focus of public attention in the EU. Several international organisations and European NGOs have raised concerns that the disappearance of unaccompanied minors is not always addressed in an effective manner. What policies and procedures are in place to register and follow up on cases of missing children, and how is data on missing children collected in EU Members States, Norway and the UK? The new Inform from the European Migration Network (EMN), in collaboration with international organisations, EU agencies and NGOs, offers a comprehensive picture of how the phenomenon is tackled currently in the EU.
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Publication date: 01 October 2019
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) published a report on the protection of unaccompanied and separated children in Belgium. The report describes the current state of affairs and provides policy recommendations to reinforce the protection of this vulnerable category of foreign nationals.
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Publication date: 09 August 2018
This EMN study focuses on the approaches to Unaccompanied Minors following status determination in the EU plus Norway. The study covers the period 2014-2017, thereby following up on previous EMN research on unaccompanied minors.
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Publication date: 09 August 2018
This Inform summarises the main results of the EMN study on “Approaches to Unaccompanied Minors Following Status Determination in the EU plus Norway”.
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Publication date: 09 January 2018
Over a period of two years, a UNICEF Belgium team collected the testimonies of 170 migrant and refugee children from 36 nationalities in reception centres and schools. The children talk about their experiences in their country of origin and their new environment, the disaster they fled for, the trials they endured on the way, their joy and sorrow. With this report UNICEF wants to build a bridge between the words of these young people, who are very keen on participation, and policy makers who are often far removed from their reality.
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Publication date: 30 June 2017
24 (Member) States provided information on the volume of returned unaccompanied minors and on family tracing. This ad hoc query was launched by the Finnish Contact Point to the EMN.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups, Ad Hoc Queries, Return & Readmission
Publication Type: EMN Reports & studies
Keywords: unaccompanied minors
Publication date: 04 June 2015
This Report presents the main findings of the 2014 EMN Study "Policies, practices and data on unaccompanied minors (UAMs)". The study aims to update the findings of the 2008-2009 EMN study on UAMs.
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Main theme: Reception, International Protection, Vulnerable groups, Data & Statistics
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: unaccompanied minors
Publication date: 18 February 2015
18 (Member) States provided detailed national information and available statistical data on the detention and removal of unaccompanied and accompanied minors. This query was launched by the Belgian EMN national contact point.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: detention, minor, removal, unaccompanied minors
Publication date: 31 January 2015
This is the Belgian Contribution to the EMN focused study on policies, practices and data on unaccompanied minors. Other EMN National Contact Points (NCP’s) produced a similar report on the topic for their (Member) State.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups, Data & Statistics
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: unaccompanied minors, guardianship, age assessment
Publication date: 22 April 2013
This publication targets policymakers and practitioners in the field of migration and child protection, along with academics and activists, and sheds light on the situation of migrant children.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Keywords: child labour, migrant child, unaccompanied minors
Publication date:
This report realized on the basis of a documentary study addresses the question of the protection of unaccompanied minors from West Africa to North Africa from a transnational point of view.
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Publication date: 17 January 2013
This compilation of responses to a french ad hoc query provides information on the removal of unaccompanied minors in the EU Member States.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: age assessment, family tracing, forced return, unaccompanied minors, voluntary return
Publication date: 03 January 2013
This EMN Inform presents the main developments that took place in 2011 with regard to international protection comprising statistics, the Common European Asylum System, intra-EU Solidarity , external dimension and unaccompanied minors.
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Main theme: Asylum, Vulnerable groups, External Dimension
Publication Type: EMN inform
Keywords: CEAS, resettlement, solidarity, unaccompanied minors
Publication date: 25 July 2012
16 member states have responded on an ad hoc query on unaccompanied minors, providing an overview of statistical data and procedures regarding unaccompanied minors.
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Main theme: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: unaccompanied minors
Publication date:
How to promote the dignity of unaccompanied children, who find themselves alone, in a vulnerable situation, far from their home environment and separated from their parents?
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Publication date: 21 April 2011
Study on unaccompanied minors, carried out by the Risk Analysis Unit of FRONTEX. Amongst others, EMN and the Belgian organisation "Payoke" contributed to this study
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Publication date: 30 June 2009
Who are the unaccompanied minors (UMAs) in Belgium? What motivates them to enter and stay in the country? What are the policies on reception, return and integration developed for UMAs in Belgium? This study addresses such questions and contains statistical information on the subject.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: age assessment, guardianship, unaccompanied minors
Publication date:
The organisation reports a huge increase in the number of vulnerable young asylum seekers who disappear in Belgium. The number of disappearances could double this year, compared to 2022 which had 136 cases.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Keywords: unaccompanied minors, disappearance
Publication date:
Today, the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor, the Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden, Fedasil, Child Focus, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons, and the Guardianship Service presented together a guide aimed at preventing and resolving the disappearance of unaccompanied foreign minors.