The role of quality care in encouraging children and youth on the move in Europe to seek support in protected spaces

The report, “Quality care conclusions and recommendations“, developed under EPIM ‘s Children and Youth on the Move Thematic Fund, is available online.

This document presents the conclusions of the workshop on “The role of quality care in encouraging children and youth on the move in Europe to seek support in protected spaces” which
was held at the conference “Lost in Migration: Working Together In Protecting Children from Disappearance” organised by Missing Children Europe and the Maltese President’s Foundation for
the Wellbeing of Society, on 27 January 2017. The aim of the workshop was for the grantee
organisations of the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) Fund “Never Alone – Building our future with children and youth arriving in Europe” to share their knowledge and exchange ideas in relation to their work with children and youth and to explore how this knowhow may translate into policy recommendations for improving the quality of care and hereby working on some of the reasons for children going missing in Europe.

Workshop participants argued that making quality care available is a first fundamental step for
encouraging children on the move to seek support in reception facilities or protective spaces and to
stay there; ensuring that children perceive the care offered as of high quality and responsive to their
needs, mandate and broader interests is a second one. This requires a commitment of organisations to
remain observant of the (shifting) profile, needs and interests of the target group; to continuously
review the structures, processes and practices that organisations deploy to pursue their aims; and to
draw on a menu of options to adapt organisational approaches and practices. Organisations could be
supported in this process by a more comprehensive and updated data analysis of the profile of the
children arriving and the creation of a solid evidence basis as to what care packages to offer to which
profile of children in which type of settings. Making sure that the child perceives the care provided as
of a high standard and responsive to his/her needs and interests was a reoccurring concern among
practitioners. Best practices exchanged related to reducing the time needed to develop the ‘confidence
trajectory’ of the child; communicating information in a swift, effective and child-friendly manner;
involving children in the development and assessment of care packages; and doing this in a manner
that duly recognises the strengths and resources that children bring along.