Contents	7
	Abbreviations	10
	Introduction (Ralf Roßkopf)	13
	I. Lifeworlds of Unaccompanied Minors	19
	Unaccompanied Minors – Lifeworlds in the Spheres of Childhood and Seeking Refuge (Katharina Heilmann)	21
	1. The Term “Unaccompanied Minors”	22
	1.1 Definition according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child	22
	1.2 Refugee Child	22
	1.3 Unaccompanied Minors	23
	2. Politics	24
	2.1 The Current Special Status of Europe	24
	2.2 Unaccompanied Minors in Europe	25
	3. Reasons for Seeking Refuge	26
	3.1 The Decision to Seek Refuge and the Families of UM	27
	3.2 Escape Routes and Escape Aid	27
	4. Physical and Psychological Developments of UM	28
	4.1 The Phase of Adolescence	28
	4.2 Forced Migration as a Critical Life Event	28
	4.3 The Risk of Traumatization	29
	4.4 Effect on the Mental Development	29
	5. Social Environment and Pedagogic Supervision	30
	5.1 Adolescence between the Home and Host Country	30
	5.2 Autonomy and Independence	31
	5.3 Pedagogic Perspectives of Action	31
	5.4 Pedagogic Approach	32
	6. Synopsis: Challenges and Responsibility	33
	II.Unaccompanied Minors in International and European Law	39
	Unaccompanied Minors in International Law (Andrea Crescenzi)	41
	1. Introduction	41
	2. International Law on the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors	42
	2.1 The Principle of Non-discrimination	45
	2.2 The Principle of the Best Interest of the Child	45
	3. The International Law and the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors by the State	47
	3.1 Immediate Measures	47
	3.2 Durable Measures	48
	The Council of Europe and Unaccompanied Minors (Chiara Pelaia)	51
	1. Introduction	51
	2. The Rights-based Approach to the Issue of Unaccompanied Minors	51
	3. The Recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly	53
	4. The Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on Life Projects	58
	5. The Rights of Unaccompanied Minors in the Work of the Commissioner for Human Rights	59
	6. Concluding Remarks: the Added Value of the Documents of the Council of Europe	61
	Unaccompanied Minors in the Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (Réka Friedery)	63
	1. Introductory Remarks	63
	2. The Notion of Vulnerability in the Practice of the ECtHR	65
	3. The Principle of the Best Interest of the (Unaccompanied) Child	69
	4. Interim Measures of ECtHR	75
	5. Conclusion	75
	Unaccompanied Minors in EU Law (Nicola Colacino)	77
	1. Introduction	77
	2. The Relevant Legal Famework	79
	2.1 The Definition of Unaccompanied Minor or Children in EU Law	79
	2.2 EU Primary Law	80
	2.3 EU Legislation	82
	2.4 The Case Law of the EU Court of Justice	99
	2.5 The EU Policy Framework on Unaccompanied Minors and the Agencies Involved	101
	2.6 Concluding Remarks	102
	III. Unaccompanied Minors in National Law	105
	Unaccompanied Minors in Austria (Iris Gachowetz)	107
	1. Overall Situation	107
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	108
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	109
	4. Age Determination	111
	5. Guardianship	112
	6. Residence Status (Aufenthaltsstatus)	113
	7. Asylum Procedure	114
	8. Accommodation	115
	9. Youth Services	117
	10. Livelihood Support Benefits	118
	11. Medical Treatment	119
	12. Schooling	119
	13. Work Permit	120
	14. Changes with Majority	121
	15. Conclusions for the National Situation	122
	Unaccompanied Minors in Canada (Simone Emmert)	127
	1. Canada – Overall Situation	127
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	130
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	133
	4. Age Determination	135
	5. Guardianship	136
	6. Residence Status	138
	7. Asylum Procedure	140
	8. Accommodation	143
	9. Youth Services	145
	10. Livelihood Support Benefits	145
	11. Medical Treatment	146
	12. Schooling	147
	13. Work Permit	148
	14. Changes with Majority	149
	15. Conclusions for the National Situation	149
	Unaccompanied Minors in Germany (Anne Bick/Ralf Roßkopf)	155
	1. Overall Situation	155
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	159
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	161
	4. Age Assessment	165
	5. Guardianship	169
	6. Residence Status	172
	7. Asylum Procedure	179
	8. Accommodation	183
	9. Youth Welfare Services	184
	10. Livelihood Support Benefits	187
	11. Medical Treatment	188
	12. Schooling	189
	13. Work Permit	190
	14. Changes with Majority	191
	15. Conclusions for the National Situation	194
	Unaccompanied Minors in Hungary (Zsófia Bende/Réka Friedery)	203
	1. Overall Situation	203
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	204
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	206
	4. Age Determination	206
	5. Guardianship	208
	6. Residence Status	209
	7. Asylum Procedure	210
	8. Accommodation	211
	9. Livelihood Support B enefits	213
	10. Medical Treatment	216
	11. Schooling	217
	12. Work Permit	218
	13. Changes with Majority	219
	14. Conclusions for the National Situation	221
	Unaccompanied Minors in Italy (Luigino Manca/Gianfranco Gabriele Nucera)	223
	1. Introductory Remarks	223
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	227
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	229
	4. Age Determination	230
	5. Guardianship	231
	6. Residence Status	234
	7. Asylum Procedure	235
	8. Accommodation	238
	9. Youth Services	239
	10. Livelihood Support Benefits	240
	11. Medical Treatment	240
	12. Schooling	242
	13. Work Permit	243
	14. Changes with Majority	244
	15. Conclusions on the National Situation	246
	Unaccompanied Minors in Poland (Andrzej Sakson)	251
	1. Overall Situation	251
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	253
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	254
	4. Age Determination	255
	5. Guardianship	255
	6. Residence Status	255
	7. Asylum Procedure	256
	8. Accommodation	257
	9. Youth Services	259
	10. Medical Treatment	259
	11. Schooling	260
	12. Work Permit	261
	13. Conclusions for the National Situation	261
	Unaccompanied Minors in the United States of America	263
	1. Overall Situation	263
	2. Application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child	263
	3. Special Treatment as a Minor	266
	4. Age Determination	267
	5. Guardianship	268
	6. Residence Status	269
	7. Asylum Procedure	269
	8. Accommodation	270
	9. Youth Services	271
	10. Livelihood Support Benefits	271
	11. Medical Treatment	272
	12. Schooling	272
	13. Work Permit	273
	14. Changes with Majority	273
	15. Conclusions for the National Situation	274
	Conclusions (Ralf Roßkopf)	277
	List of Contributors	280