Transcript Maria Herczog, Member, Committee on the Rights of the Child

Children on the run from public
care settings in Europe
Dr. Maria Herczog Ph.D.
Member of the UN CRC Committee
Geneva, 1 November 2011
Knowledge base, awareness
Limited attention and information on the topic: warning
signals, symptoms – root causes should be investigated
Recommendations, guidelines, indicators providing
indirect protection: child-rights based, prevention, gatekeeping, planned placement, care and relationships, family
rehabilitation and/or preparation for leaving care
 UN General Assembly Guidelines on children in care
(November 2009) – comprehensive directives on high quality
prevention, care and after-care – no mention of the issue of
runaways
Council of Europe recommendations, investigations,
surveys, programs – no mention of the issue of runaways
 The rights of the children at risk and in care (Council of
Europe, 2007) – no mention of the issue of runaways
 Quality4Children standards and warning signs – no
mention of runaways
Children in Care indicators (UNICEF - Better Care
Network, 2005) – no mention of runaways
Children without parental care (EUROCHILD members’
documents
survey, 2009) – International
no question and mention
on runaways
Adatok I.
Data from Hungary
Gyermekotthonból
Children’s
hom
es
Grouphomes
Special
chi
ldr
en’
s
ho
me
s
Boarding svhools
After care homes
Total
Girls from total
2002
860
339
78
190
1
1468
633
2003
901
404
79
169
5
1558
679
2004
893
576
117
187
1773
799
2005
932
657
149
114
1
1853
840
2006
932
702
213
77
5
1929
903
2007
1046
675
191
61
2
1975
897
2009
1174
755
197
46
2
2174
1039
Year
Nincs adat
Adatok II.
Data from Hungary
(Based on data in 2009-)
once
twice
3 times
4 and more times
Total
Those committing
offences while
on the run
Children’
s
ho
mes
Group
ho
me
s
Special
chi
ldr
en’
s
ho
me
s
Boarding
school
s
After-care
ho
mes
Specific
hom
es
Special
gr
ou
ph
om
es
Specific
gro
uho
mes
434
231
63
17
2
19
4
31
801
224
128
30
10
10
2
24
428
132
100
24
5
5
6
7
279
384
296
80
14
12
14
27
827
1174
755
197
46
46
26
89
2335
77
53
19
3
7
4
4
167
2
All
resid
ential
home
s
Missing Children Europe
• The first hours after the disappearance of a child
are of vital importance
• Most children go home from the care system but
many end up on the street
• Many are leaving for the weekends, go to discos,
meet friends
• Many of them do not have money, are easy
targets
• Many of them are later trafficked, exploited, end
up in a different country
Missing Children Europe
• The European telephone number – 116 000 - gives
access to the local, national organisations, specialised
in missing children or have experts to provide help
• 16 countries have joined so far in the EU –
www.hotline116000.eu
• In 2009, Missing Children Europe launched a European
campaign to raise public awareness of the 116 000 in
the framework of a European project entitled
"Implementation and communication of 116 000: the
European telephone number for missing children".
Missing Children Europe
• Practical guide for hotline operators has been
developed
• common minimum quality standards to harmonise
the service delivery throughout the European Union, in
order for parents, professionals and children to rely on
the same quality and on the same help;
• cross-border procedures to enhance the cooperation
among the NGOs running the 116 000 service, in order
for cases with a cross-border nature to be dealt with in
a more efficient and effective manner.
An EU Agenda for the Rights of the
Child
“Children may go missing regardless of their age, gender
or social status. There is little knowledge about the
reasons why children run away from home or from
institutions in which they live, but we do know that the
risks are enormous: risks to their safety, mental and
physical health, well-being and life. Missing children
can suffer violence and abuse; they can be trafficked or
exposed to begging and prostitution.”
, 15 February,
2011http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies/children/docs
/com_2011_60_en.pdf