Aim

The aim of the GUIDE (Supporting Guardians of Unaccompanied Children) project is to raise awareness of available resources and support professionals and guardians caring for unaccompanied and separated children arriving in the EU from various countries and contexts. This includes children from Ukraine and those evacuated from institutional care in Ukraine. The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of national guardianship systems. It specifically focuses on providing support for guardians of children with disabilities and/or those at risk of developmental delays in five countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia, Italy, and Poland. 

Context

The GUIDE project is organised as a transnational action supporting key players in the field of protection of children in migration by providing support to guardians and authorities that regulate guardianship.

When a child is separated from their family, guardians play a vital role in ensuring the child's well-being, securing access to essential services such as healthcare and education, providing suitable housing, and safeguarding their legal rights. Guardians also uphold the child's right to be heard and to express their views on decisions affecting them.

According to the European Union Agency for asylum, 2021 had the highest number of unaccompanied minors seeking refuge in European Countries since 2017, with 24,147 children arriving in Bulgaria, Poland, Greece, Italy, and Slovakia. Among these, 71% were unaccompanied or separated children. Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, as of February 2022, over 8 million persons seeking refuge from Ukraine were recorded across Europe. Among those 90% are women and children.

With these numbers in mind, and the large flux of unaccompanied or separated children entering the EU due to socio-political reasons, projects like GUIDE can play a crucial role in the safeguarding of children, as well as providing vital support to guardians.

Activities

The project will:

a) Deliver a training programme for at least 250 guardians and social care professionals along with a hands-on manual, and create national maps of service providers to ensure they better understand the national service provision systems and have the necessary competences to perform their tasks;

b) Establish peer networks and technical resources for guardians as a support mechanism;

c) Provide up-to-date information on challenges faced by national guardianship systems and concrete measures and solutions, as well as a platform for knowledge sharing among authorities and key stakeholders;

d) Implement European campaigns and national events to increase visibility of guardians and their challenges.

Target Groups

Natural target groups:

• Guardians of unaccompanied/separated children, including children with/at risk of developing developmental delays or disabilities
• Social workers, NGO staff, child protection authorities and others supporting guardians and children

Indirect Beneficiaries:

• Unaccompanied/separated children, particularly those with disabilities or with/at risk of developmental delays

Stakeholders involved:

• Professionals and organisations with direct impact on the target groups
• National/regional partners ensuring long-term impact
• Civil Society Networks

Partnership

• European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (Belgium)
• Eurochild (Belgium)
• IASIS (Greece)
• National Network of Children (Bulgaria)
• Imago (Poland)
• Save the Children Poland (Poland)
• CESIE (Italy)
• Tenenet (Slovakia)  

Duration

April 2024 – September 2026 (30 months)

Contact

Tiziana Fantucchio: tiziana.fantucchio@easpd.eu

Lyzaveta Drannikova: lyzaveta.drannikova@easpd.eu

Funding

The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). The Fund aims to further boost national capacities and improve procedures for migration management, as well as to enhance solidarity and responsibility sharing between Member States, in particular through emergency assistance and the relocation mechanism.