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

Conclusions from the workshop held in the framework of the conference “Lost in Migration: Working Together in Protecting Children from Disappearance”, 26-27 January 2017, Malta

The workshop on “The role of quality care in encouraging children and youth on the move in Europe to seek support in protected spaces” 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 EPIM Sub-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 know-how 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.

You will find here the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop.

In short, workshop participants argued that making quality care available is a first fundamental step to encourage children on the move to seek support in reception facilities or protective spaces and to stay there. Likewise, an important second consideration is to ensure 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.

These conclusions were integrated in policy recommendations that were developed as a result of the conference.