Care
The
guardian ensures that state and private services collaborate effectively to
provide a continuum of care in accordance with the child’s specific situation,
background and individual needs. The provision of care services requires
multi-disciplinary cooperation and coordination, with due consideration for the
child’s welfare and wellbeing, education and development, protection, emotional
care and health care. In addition to the coordination of services in the
hosting community, the guardian has to ensure a continuum of care also in cases
where children are transferred or relocated within the EU or returned to their
countries of origin.
Guardians
of unaccompanied children are not themselves caretakers but are responsible for
monitoring institutions and authorities responsible for childcare, as well as the
direct care provided by the child’s foster parents, childcare staff in a
reception centre or other caretakers. The guardian is responsible for ensuring
that care arrangements are sensitive to any particular vulnerabilities of the
child, such as experiences of violence or exploitation, any disabilities, or
where the child belongs to a minority group.
See
also:
Level 6: Promoting the rights and the
best interests of the child – Care planning, life project; Aftercare
References:
EU training and learning platform for guardians of
unaccompanied children
Chapter 3: Supporting the child from arrival to durable solution
Literature:
Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers
(2019), Effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration, Recommendation
CM/Rec(2019)11 of the Committee of Ministers, 11 December 2019.
Defence for Children – ECPAT The Netherlands
(2011), Core standards for guardians of separated children in Europe, Goals for guardians and
authorities, Leiden. Reference text for handout: 10 Core
Standards for Children.
FRA (European 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 (2005), General Comment No. 6 (2005), Treatment of
unaccompanied and separated children outside their country of origin,
CRC/GC/2005, 1 September 2005.
United Nations General Assembly (2010), Guidelines for the alternative care of children,
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the report of the Third Committee
(A/64/434) 64/142, 24 February 2010.