Ensure the protection of refugee children and young people – everywhere, at all times, for every child!

Together with numerous other non-profit organizations in Germany, the Women's Shelter Coordination Association (FHK) is calling on participants at the Refugee Summit on May 10, 2023, to give special consideration to the protection of children and young people when building accommodation capacity for refugees – including financial support. FHK advocates for the protection of vulnerable groups to be given high priority when accommodating refugees.

The full appeal to politicians can be downloaded below.

Recommendations to politicians

For the exchange between the federal government, states and municipalities, we recommend
we:

• The Waist should consistently implement the goal agreed in the coalition agreement of enabling the integration of refugee children through rapid access to school education.
• The Waist When determining the level of contribution to refugee-related costs agreed in the coalition agreement and already assured to the states, the implementation of child protection measures should be taken into account both in refugee accommodation facilities and in child and youth welfare facilities where unaccompanied minor refugees are accommodated.
• Federal, state and local governments When reaching agreement on issues relating to the accommodation and care of people seeking protection, the expertise of public child and youth welfare services and youth welfare offices should be taken into account.
• The Countries They should, through state legislation, specify the "appropriate measures" to be taken for the protection of children in accommodation facilities pursuant to Sections 44 (2a) and 53 (3) of the Asylum Act, orient themselves in this regard to the "Minimum Standards for the Protection of Refugees in Refugee Accommodation Facilities" (BMFSFJ/UNICEF et al., 2021), and monitor their implementation. They should also define framework conditions for the structured cooperation of public child and youth welfare services with the legal bodies and operators of all types of accommodation facilities.
• states and municipalities should reverse any reductions in standards for accommodation and care within the framework of child and youth welfare services and comply with the standards of Book VIII of the Social Code (SGB VIII). Concepts should be developed for a smooth transition back to the standards of Book VIII of the Social Code (SGB VIII). States and municipalities should consistently consider all refugee children and young people living in collective accommodation in their youth welfare planning. To ensure that refugee children and their families can access services, they should be informed about their options in an appropriate and understandable manner.