Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children

Learn about unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children

This course is about the care and protection of unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children who are moving across and between countries. This course will provide an understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities these children face. It will inform the improvement of policy, practice and delivery of support services that uphold children’s rights and meet their best interests. The course will provide examples of promising practice. It will stimulate the exchange of ideas and experience between learners around the world and is available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

This free course’s revenue will be donated to Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

The course will be of interest to you if you are a front line professional or a volunteer anywhere in the world working to offer care, protection and other support to unaccompanied and separated children on the move. For example, you might be a social worker, child protection professional, teacher, border official, medical worker, judge, lawyer or care worker. The course will be of significance if you are a policy maker, work for a government or non-governmental organisation or indeed, if you have any concern or responsibility for child protection and alternative care. You will also find this course useful if you are studying the topic of migration or, someone who would like to learn more about children who are travelling alone across and between borders.

The course will be of interest to you if you are a front line professional or a volunteer anywhere in the world working to offer care, protection and other support to unaccompanied and separated children on the move. For example, you might be a social worker, child protection professional, teacher, border official, medical worker, judge, lawyer or care worker. The course will be of significance if you are a policy maker, work for a government or non-governmental organisation or indeed, if you have any concern or responsibility for child protection and alternative care. You will also find this course useful if you are studying the topic of migration or, someone who would like to learn more about children who are travelling alone across and between borders.

• Identify specific risks, vulnerabilities and support needs of unaccompanied and separated children on the move and the application of different appropriate responses.
• Apply the content and meaning of relevant international and national legislation and agreements.
• Explore the principles outlined in the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children and discover how suitable care can contribute to the protection of children.
• Identify a range of promising practices in relation to suitable alternative care settings that meet the needs, wishes and circumstances of each individual unaccompanied and separated child on the move.