"No one is sure about how many migrant children are living in Spain without their parents — and that's part of the problem," says this article from Voice of America. According to the article, Spanish officials have stated that there are about 10,000 unaccompanied minors living in Spain. However, "more than 11,000 migrant children were recorded having arrived in Spain in 2018 alone, and previous migrant influxes had already swept in at least 4,000, say civil-society groups." The lack of consistent and accurate data is concerning to civil society groups and organizations like Fundación Raíces which promotes the rights of migrant children.
"Non-governmental organizations say aside from the issue of whether children should be returned or not to their native countries — the system for handling and protecting them in Spain is chaotic. Children are transferred haphazardly from center to center without proper planning and 'overlooking the best interests of the children,' says Fundacion Raices. The NGO has demanded the assignment of independent legal guardians for migrant children to protect their legal rights."