Immigrant children vanish from care, EU study finds

EACH year thousands of children who arrive in EU countries as immigrants disappear despite being placed in state care, according to a study carried out by a Swiss child rights body.

In some cases, up to half disappear within 48 hours, either frightened off by deliberate state practices of making them unwelcome or taken by traffickers who prey on the children.

The group, Terre des Hommes, carried out detailed investigations in four countries – Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland – but their findings relate to all EU countries, Bernard Boeton said at a press conference in Brussels.

The majority of the children are boys, aged about 15, but some are as young as eight from countries including the Congo, Morocco, Afghanistan, Somalia, China and Romania. Some leave their homes because of war, some are sent by their families to work, others trafficking victims. They often have fake documents given to them by smugglers.

There is no effort to keep full national records of them and when they disappear, nobody knows where they are or if they are safe, said researcher Sofie Hedjam.

“Professionals involved with their care say the children are exposed to physical and psychological risks linked to drugs, economic and sexual exploitation and trafficking. Some say that if the care facilities are not protected enough, they are perfect places for traffickers to choose their prey.”

Most of the missing children are reported to police, but because they have so little information about the children, there is no search.

“Nobody could tell us who is responsible for these children. Judges believe there may be a legal vacuum here,” she said.

The group is sending its recommendations to the European Commission asking that steps such as forcing states to keep proper information on minors be included in new legislation.