Registration, Documentation and Tracing

Registration and documentation of separated and unaccompanied children are essential steps towards tracing and reunifying children with their families. Such separation can be highly traumatic and requires immediate action by a designated body to expedite the process. This is particularly vital when children are very young and far less able to cope without parental care or to remember essential details about their home and parents.

Registration, documentation and tracing should be done in a co-ordinated fashion throughout a particular emergency situation, with all involved agencies using the same forms in order to avoid confusion and errors and ensuring that all documentation forms are included in a central, confidential database. The affected population should be given clear guidance on the process for registration and should be supported throughout the process.

All separated children should be registered as soon as they are identified. Their basic information must be collected, photograph taken, and medical screening done. All belongings and clothing should be listed and retained with the child. Particularly for young children, the registration process must include gathering information from any adults or older children who may be able to provide relevant information. In some situations rapid action can permit immediate reunification with parents or relatives, and such action should not necessarily wait until full documentation has been completed.

Parents and caretakers who have lost children should also be able to submit tracing requests. Children and adults should be kept fully informed of the process and reunited or in contact with located family members or relatives as quickly as possible.

Tracing of family members is the next step, even if family reunification is not immediately possible. The priority is to locate parents, other family members, or relatives in the area who may be able to provide interim care for children without adequate care. Precautions should be made when sharing information for tracing purposes to ensure the child or their family members are not placed at risk.

The literature in this section includes procedural guidance and documentation forms for registering and tracing children and parents, as well as descriptions of documentation and tracing programs.

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UNHCR Guidelines on Formal Determinations of the Best Interests of the Child

UNHCR, 2006

Guidelines for when and how to make a decision regarding the best interests of the child in the case of emergencies. Includes useful information for addressing unaccompanied and separated children including, temporary and alternative care arrangements, tracing and reunification, and child participation.

The Lost Ones: Emergency Care And Family Tracing for Children from Birth to Five Years

Marie de la Soudière, Jan Williamson, and Jacqueline Botte, 2005

A manual primarily concerned with the prevention of separation of children during emergencies. It provides a field-oriented guide to solve problems specific to emergency care and tracing and family reunification of babies and children five years and younger.

Separated Children: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies

Save the Children Federation, 2005

Guidance on preventing child separation, interviewing separated children, and programming for their care and protection needs. Contains specific information on temporary and longer term care options.

Indonesian Government Policy on Separated Children, Unaccompanied Children and Children left with One Parent in Emergency Situations

Bachtiar Chamsyah, 2005

Indonesian policy paper on the practice principles for separated and unaccompanied children in an emergency, including guidance on short and long-term care arrangements, tracing, and family reunification

The Lost Ones: Emergency Care and Family Tracing for Children from Birth to Five Years

Marie de la Soudière, Jan Williamson, and Jacqueline Botte, 2005

Guidelines for the care of young children separated from their families in emergencies. Includes detailed information on prevention of separation, child registration and documentation, and family reunification.

In Best or Vested Interests? An Exploration of the Concept and Practice of Family Reunification for Street Children

Thomas Feeny - The Consortium for Street Children, 2005

Examines current conceptual and practical issues relating to reunification of street children with their families. Includes guidelines for organisations operating or starting reunification programmes and suggests directions for future research.

Inter-agency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children

ICRC, UNHCR, UNICEF, Save the Children UK, and International Rescue Committee, 2004

A comprehensive framework to ensure that the rights and needs of separated children are effectively addressed. Guidelines aim to promote and support preparedness, coordination and good practice based on lessons learned. Addresses all aspects of an emergency from preventing separations, to family tracing and reunification, through to long-term solutions.

Protect or Neglect? Toward a More Effective United Nations Approach to the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons

Simon Bagshaw and Diane Paul, 2004

A paper that makes recommendations (based on field work) to the UN, NGOs and governments for a more effective international system to care for internally displaced persons.

Inter-agency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children

Inter-agency Working Group on Unaccompanied and Separated Children , 2004

Provides guidance on role of humanitarian agencies in ensuring protection and appropriate care provision for separated and unaccompanied childre, with a particular emphasis on preserving family unity and ensuring identification, tracing and reunification is pursued.

Child Protection: A Handbook for Parliamentarians

Dan O'Donnell and Dan Seymour, 2004

A handbook that includes examples of the many ways in which Parliaments and their members around the world have responded to the challenges of child protection through laws, policies, advocacy and other means. It also describes how Parliaments and their members can gain a clearer understanding of what their contribution can be, and equips them with the knowledge and tools they require to make that contribution.