The Separated Children in Europe Programme (SCEP), a European NGO network consisting of 28 organisations in 31 European Member States, publishes today its 5th edition of the Statement of Good Practice .The Statement of Good Practice aims to provide a clear overview of the principles, policies and practices required to implement measures that will ensure the promotion and protection of the rights of separated children in Europe. That is highly needed because separated children often go missing, do not receive a qualified guardian, get detained or lack adequate shelter. The revised Statement of Good Practice is endorsed by UNHCR, UNICEF, Save the Children, ECRE, and ECPAT International. Since 2013, SCEP is coordinated by Defence for Children the Netherlands.

Tool to realise rights of separated children in Europe 
For many separated children, the journey to Europe is often long, extremely dangerous and fraught with hardship. When arriving in Europe the journey and unsafe situation often does not end. At the heart of the Statement of Good Practice is SCEP’s desire to see the rights of separated children in Europe fully realised.

Call upon new members of the European Parliament 
The ‘Statement of Good Practice’ is not merely an exhaustive listing of standards and good practice, but rather a framework for action and advocacy that we will continue to build upon in the future.  Elections for the members of the European Parliament will be held on 23 – 26 May. SCEP calls on the new members of Parliament to use the content of the ‘Statement of Good Practice’ to improve the situation of separated children in Europe and guarantee the safeguarding of their rights.

European child’s rights helpdesk
Many refugee and migrant children still face difficulties in pursuing remedies for breaches of their rights. For this reason, Defence for Children the Netherlands has the ambition to set up child’s rights helpdesks in Europe and to create a European platform for professionals providing individual legal aid to children on the move, including separated children.

“The 5th edition of the SCEP Statement of Good Practice will be an important document for legal professionals and practitioners in the field when providing legal aid to children on the move. Also, it can serve as a great source of inspiration when advocating for the realisation of the rights of all separated children entering or travelling across Europe will be realised.”

The revised Statement of Good Practice is also available at:
http://www.scepnetwork.org/p/1/69/statement-of-good-practice