site.btaExperts Discuss Care of Child Refugees

Experts Discuss Care of Child Refugees

Pchelin Village, Western Bulgaria, November 19 (BTA) - Special care and conditions need to be provided at the reception centres for child refugees, but it is important not to detach them from the circle of their close ones because otherwise children do not integrate into their new environment and often run away, Iliana Hristova, Director of the Child Policies and Programmes, Strategic Development and Coordination Directorate at the State Agency for Child Protection (SACP), said at a seminar here on Saturday.

Since the beginning of 2016, the SACP has received information about 1,819 children (183 boys and 1,636 girls) seeking or granted international protection in Bulgarian territory.

Between January 1 and October 31, 885 child refugees are reported to have left their accommodation centres of their own accord and are unaccounted for. Some of them come back after a period of time.

Of the children remaining at the accommodation centres of the State Agency for Refugees, 166 are together with their parents, 21 are accompanied by friends or relatives, and 1,633 are not being cared for by an adult who, by law or custom, is responsible for doing so. Unaccompanied minors vary in ethnicity and citizenship: 1,263 from Afghanistan, 289 from Iraq, 113 from Syria, 105 from Pakistan, 12 from Iran, seven from Bangladesh, three from Somalia, two each from Turkey and Egypt, and one each from Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Mianmar.

Tracking unaccompanied children is impeded, among other things, because they identify themselves by different names in the different countries. Relying on their own words is often the only way to establish their identity.