Irish Refugee Council launches report on unaccompanied minors

The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) this morning launched a report on the difficulties facing unaccompanied minors in Ireland today.

Timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day and entitled "Making Separated Children Visible: The Need for a Child-Centred Approach", the report includes recommendations on how best to address difficulties facing separated children, and has been endorsed by a host of children's charities including Barnados and the ISPCC.

The report says 320 children have gone missing from accommodation centres in Ireland over the last five years, raising concerns over possible links with child trafficking.

The IRC says the existing system offers these children less protection that Irish children and is calling for measures to address this discrimination and improve services for all separated children.

The report also advocates changes in legislation, policy and services to deal with the specific needs of separated children, in line with international best practice.

Recommendations include extending social work services in Ireland to a 24-hour service, accommodation centres for separated children coming under the remit of the Social Services Inspectorate and an arrivals project in Dublin airport.