GUIDE

Aim
The aim of the GUIDE (Supporting Guardians of Unaccompanied Children) project is to raise awareness of available resources, and support professionals and guardians caring for unaccompanied and separated children arriving in the EU from various countries and contexts. This includes children from Ukraine and those evacuated from institutional care in Ukraine. The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of national guardianship systems. It specifically focuses on providing support for guardians of children with disabilities and/or those at risk of developmental delays in five countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia, Italy, and Poland.
Context
The GUIDE project is organised as a transnational action supporting key players in the field of protection of children in migration by providing support to guardians and authorities that regulate guardianship.
When a child is separated from their family, guardians play a vital role in ensuring the child's well-being, securing access to essential services such as healthcare and education, providing suitable housing, and safeguarding their legal rights. Guardians also uphold the child's right to be heard and to express their views on decisions affecting them.
According to the European Union Agency for asylum, 2021 had the highest number of unaccompanied minors seeking refuge in European Countries since 2017, with 24,147 children arriving in Bulgaria, Poland, Greece, Italy, and Slovakia. Among these, 71% were unaccompanied or separated children. Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, as of February 2022, over 8 million persons seeking refuge from Ukraine were recorded across Europe. Among those 90% are women and children.
With these numbers in mind, and the large flux of unaccompanied or separated children entering the EU due to socio-political reasons, projects like GUIDE can play a crucial role in the safeguarding of children, as well as providing vital support to guardians.
Activities
The project will:
a) Deliver a training programme for at least 250 guardians and social care professionals along with a hands-on manual, and create national maps of service providers to ensure they better understand the national service provision systems and have the necessary competences to perform their tasks;
b) Establish peer networks and technical resources for guardians as a support mechanism;
c) Provide up-to-date information on challenges faced by national guardianship systems and concrete measures and solutions, as well as a platform for knowledge sharing among authorities and key stakeholders;
d) Implement European campaigns and national events to increase visibility of guardians and their challenges.
Project Resources:
- Project Leaflet English
- Training of Trainers Manual: This manual equips trainers with knowledge, tools and methodologies that can enable them to train individuals in guardianship responsibilities in a child-friendly and participative manner.
- National Manuals: Building on the GUIDE Training of Trainers Manual, these National manuals provide practical tools and knowledge for trainers in guardianship services. Each manual is tailored to the national context of each partner country.
- Bulgaria National Manual in Bulgarian | Bulgaria National Manual in English
- Greece National Manual in Greek | Greece National Manual in English
- Italy National Manual in Italian | Italy National Manual in English
- Poland National Manual in Polish | Poland National Manual in English | Poland National Manual in Ukrainian
- Slovakia National Manual in Slovak | Slovakia National Manual in English | Slovakia National Manual in Ukrainian
- National Maps: These national maps identify and categorise service providers and specialists operating in the health, education, social support, and mental health sectors to provide a holistic view of available supports for guardians and unaccompanied children, including those with disabilities and with/at risk of developmental delays.
- Bulgaria National Map in Bulgarian | Bulgaria National Map in English
- Greece National Map in Greek | Greece National Map in English
- Italy National Map in Italian | Italy National Map in English
- Poland National Map in Polish | Poland National Map in English | Poland National Map in Polish
- Slovakia National Map in Slovak | Slovakia National Map in English | Slovakia National Map in Ukranian
Target Groups
Natural target groups:
- Guardians of unaccompanied/separated children, including children with/at risk of developing developmental delays or disabilities
- Social workers, NGO staff, child protection authorities and others supporting guardians and children
Indirect Beneficiaries:
- Unaccompanied/separated children, particularly those with disabilities or with/at risk of developmental delays
Stakeholders involved:
- Professionals and organisations with direct impact on the target groups
- National/regional partners ensuring long-term impact
- Civil Society Networks
Partnership
- European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (Belgium)
- Eurochild (Belgium)
- IASIS (Greece)
- National Network of Children (Bulgaria)
- Imago (Poland)
- Save the Children Poland (Poland)
- CESIE (Italy)
- Tenenet (Slovakia)
Duration
April 2024 – September 2026 (30 months)
Contact
Tiziana Fantucchio: tiziana.fantucchio@easpd.eu
Lyzaveta Drannikova: lyzaveta.drannikova@easpd.eu
Funding
The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). The Fund aims to further boost national capacities and improve procedures for migration management, as well as to enhance solidarity and responsibility sharing between Member States, in particular through emergency assistance and the relocation mechanism.
Funding Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.