Foster care for
unaccompanied children
in Hungary
SUMMARY
Following a legal reform in March 2017, unaccompanied and
separated children above the age of 14 are held in transit zones
at the Hungarian–Serbian border where they are detained, while
those below the age of 14 are taken into care by competent child
protection authorities and placed at the Károlyi István Children’s
Centre.
The project aims to provide foster care for particularly vulnerable
groups of unaccompanied and separated children accommodated
at the Károlyi István Children’s Centre. The project targets in
particular unaccompanied children below the age of 12, who are
entitled to foster care under national child protection law, girls,
and children with disabilities or serious diseases. The project
includes the recruitment, selection, training and monitoring
of certified foster parents for unaccompanied and separated
children. This is carried out in line with existing foster care
standards and procedures and the placement of children is carried
out by competent national authorities.
The practice is implemented in close cooperation with the relevant
authorities and other service providers. Children’s views and
cultural backgrounds are taken into consideration while matching
them with foster parents.
Foster care for unaccompanied and separated children is new in
Hungary, and this project serves as a pilot.
With support from SOS Children Villages, the Child Protection
Services of Budapest have recently started recruiting and training
foster parents for unaccompanied and separated children.
Country: Hungary
Location: Budapest and Kecskemét
Website:
https://www.sos.hu/hogyan-segitunk-mi/
menekult-program/neveloszuloket-keresunk-
menekult-hatteru-gyermekek
Target group:
Unaccompanied and separated children below
the age of 12; unaccompanied and separated
children with disabilities and unaccompanied
and separated girls of all ages
Implemented by:
OS Children’s Villages Hungary in partnership
with the Child Protection Service of Budapest,
the State-run Károlyi István Children’s Centre
at Fót, the Hungarian Directorate-General for
Social Affairs and Child Protection, Menedék
– Hungarian Association for Migrants, and the
Government Authority of the Bács-Kiskun
County
Funded by:
SOS Children’s Villages Switzerland
SOS Children’s Villages Sweden
SOS Children’s Villages Denmark
SOS Children’s Villages Hungary and state
subsidies
Timeframe: November 2016 – ongoing
KEY TOPICS
ALTERNATIVE CARE FOR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN
CASE MANAGEMENT PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
STAFF TRAINING CHILD PARTICIPATION PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP
LOCAL COMMUNITY ACCESS TO INFORMATION
72
Contact person:
Eszter Kósa,
Emergency Response Advisor CEE/CIS,
[email protected],
Viola Szlankó, Advocacy Advisor,
[email protected]