CHILD PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ON THE MOVE - SERBIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

This paper presents findings of a research about the systematic solutions to the needs of migrant/ refugee children, who were passing through Serbia during the transit period in 2015 and 2016. The aim of the research is to analyze systematic solutions to the needs of the children and to define recommendations for improving the protection of unaccompanied children during the migrant crisis. It involved 17 professionals from Centers for Social Work and 18 representatives of governmental and non-governmental sector, who shared their experiences by participating in the individual interviews and focus groups. One of the key findings identified is the need to establish mechanisms for enhancing cooperation among stakeholders in relevant systems, especially between the social protection system and the non-governmental organizations at the local level. Furthermore, a special part of the research is dedicated to official child protection procedures in cases of unaccompanied children and children at risk as it was noticed during the research preparation that, in addition to the uncertainty with respect to roles and difficulties in communication among various actors, there is a particularly significant challenge in the child protection system considering the doubts about the steps in the process of protection of children migrants/refugees in the specific circumstances of their passage or prolonged stay in Serbia.

Keywords

• migrants / unaccompanied refugee children
• child protection
• systematic solutions to the needs of the protection of children migrants/refugees
• child protection procedures
• Center for Social Work
• case management