Summary
The return and reintegration of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) is one of the most sensitive and complex areas of migration management in the European Union. EU Member States (MS) are legally and ethically bound to ensure that all actions concerning migrant children respect fundamental rights, due process, and the best interests of the child, as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Despite these shared obligations, approaches to the return and reintegration of UASC remain fragmented across the EU. While individual Member States have developed national practices and tools, there is no permanent, structured mechanism at EU level to enable systematic exchange, mutual learning, and coordination on child-sensitive return and reintegration. This fragmentation limits consistency, weakens safeguards, and reduces opportunities to learn from effective practices.
The UASC Platform responds directly to this identified gap. It establishes a structured, EU-level space for cooperation among MS authorities and relevant stakeholders, enabling them to share experience, strengthen operational approaches, and improve the quality and coherence of child-sensitive, rights-based return and reintegration services. The objective of the platform is to improve operational procedures and coordination among stakeholders involved in UASC return and reintegration, thereby strengthening safeguards and respect for children’s rights and safeguards throughout the entire process.