Emergency Care Arrangements

The priority for unaccompanied children in an emergency is to reunite them with their parents, family members, or relatives as quickly as possible, in order to provide them with care and protection. Where this is not immediately possible, children will require emergency care until reunification is possible via documentation and tracing activities.

Emergency care should cater to the child’s basic shelter, security, food and health needs, on a level that is comparable to the local community in order to avoid encouraging further family separations. Children should be kept fully informed of efforts to locate family, and any interim care plans. All agencies offering care must follow and international standards, and coordinate with the local authority.

The preferred care will usually be with temporary caretakers from the community, rather than in institutions, since this provides continuity and greater protection. Children associated with armed forces may require interim care, if immediate family reunification is not possible and in their best interests. Spontaneous care situations, such as kinship, foster care, and child headed households should be screened, monitored and supported to ensure children are protected and their basic needs and rights are being met. In some cases an alternative placement may be necessary. Where family members cannot be located, a longer term care plan should be formulated, however adoption must only be considered after all tracing and reunification activities have been exhausted over a substantial period of time.

Support programs should include all affected children, and should not target or isolate separated children. They should strengthen the community’s natural coping methods and support structures, and will therefore include community and child participation in decision making processes. All placements must be fully documented to facilitate tracing and reunification activities. Reunification should be the immediate goal for all children, unless this is not in their best interests.

The documents in this section relate to emergency care guidelines and examples from around the world.

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Beyond Detention: A Global Strategy to support governments to end the detention of asylum-seekers and refugees

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2014

This report, authored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, calls for a global strategy to prevent the detention of asylum-seekers and refugees in countries around the world, with an initial focus 10+ "focus countries." Among the Strategy's three main goals is the call to end detention of children, which requires a new legal and policy framework, the implementation of the "best interests" principle, alternative and appropriate reception and care arrangements for children (including foster care), and the provision of age-appropriate information to the child.

After Yolanda: What Children Think, Need and Recommend

Leah Finnegan , 19 Dec 2013

On 14th December, Save the Children, Plan, World Vision, working with UNICEF, organized consultations with 124 children and young people in Capiz, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte and East and West Samar to listen to their views about the humanitarian situation six weeks after the Typhoon, find out what their priorities are and ask for suggestions to improve the response.

Multi-Cluster/Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA): Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), Philippines.

Inter-Agency Humanitarian Response in the Philippines, 28 Nov 2013

To better understand the impact of Typhoon Haiyan on affected population, more than 40 agencies conducted a multi-cluster initial rapid assessment (MIRA) in 9 provinces covering 92 municipalities and 283 barangays. The (MIRA) confirmed that the impacts of Typhoon Haiyan follow a relatively clear geographical pattern.

Philippines: Child Protection - Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset (Waray)

Global Protection Cluster, 21 Nov 2013

Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset developed by the Global Child Protection Cluster in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines

Philippines: Child Protection - Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset (English)

Global Protection Cluster, 21 Nov 2013

Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset developed by the Global Child Protection Cluster in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines

Philippines: Child Protection - Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset (Cebuano)

Global Protection Cluster, 21 Nov 2013

Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset developed by the Global Child Protection Cluster in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines (Cebuano)

Philippines: Child Protection - Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset (Filipino)

Global Protection Cluster, 21 Nov 2013

Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset developed by the Global Child Protection Cluster in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines

Philippines: Child Protection - Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset (Ilongo)

Global Protection Cluster, 20 Nov 2013

Key Messages for Caregivers in a Sudden Onset developed by the Global Child Protection Cluster in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines (Ilongo)

The Future of Syria: Refugee Children in Crisis (Online Resource)

UNHCR, 01 Nov 2013

This online resource, complete with videos and infographics, accompanies a report from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees which details the experiences of Syrian refugee children and youth.

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The Future of Syria: Refugee Children in Crisis

UNHCR, 01 Nov 2013

This report from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees details the experiences of Syrian refugee children and youth.