Guardianship Wheels
Systemic Resource Center

Level 6 |
Promoting the rights and the best interests of the child

Health care

Health care

Unaccompanied children have a right to access health care and treatment in the country of arrival. Considering the precarious conditions of migration and incidents of violence and exploitation in the home country and during the journey that many unaccompanied children have experienced, the needs for health care and treatment are diverse and include immediate and emergency health care upon first contact, as well as preventive care, rehabilitation care and longer term treatment. Children may suffer acute symptoms, infectious and chronical diseases or disabilities and may be in need of general medical treatment, dental care, sexual reproductive health care and mental health care.

The guardian represents the child in the context of health care and secures respect for the rights and the best interests of the child. The guardian ensures that the child is informed about access to health care and treatment, understands diagnoses and obtains effective access to health care services in accordance with the individual and specific needs of the child. The assistance of medical interpreters and cultural mediators is important to enable the communication with the child in the context of health care services. 

See also:


Level 1: Life, survival, development

Reference:

EU training and learning platform for guardians of unaccompanied children
Chapter 3: Supporting the child from arrival to durable solution

Literature:

FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights) (2014), Guardianship for children deprived of parental care, A handbook to reinforce guardianship systems to cater for the specific needs of child victims of trafficking, Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union (Publications Office).

United Nations (UN), Committee on the Rights of the Child (2013), General Comment No. 15 on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health (art. 24), CRC/C/GC/15, 2013.

United Nations (UN), Committee on the Rights of the Child (2003), General Comment No. 4, Adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, CRC/GC/2003/4, 2003.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2018), Health of refugee and migrant children , Technical guidance, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen.  

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