Mapping Child Protection Systems in the EU – Update 2023 | European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Easy-to-read report

7

juillet

2026

Violence against people with disabilities in institutions (Easy read)

This report talks about the situation of people with disabilities who live in institutions. Institutions are places where people with disabilities often live away from other people. Our report is based on a study we made in 30 countries in Europe. This text is a short version of the report in easy language.

Report / Paper / Summary

27

novembre

2025

Places of Care = Places of Safety? Violence against persons with disabilities in institutions

This report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Based on research across all EU Member States and FRA observer candidate countries, the report calls for better protection, stronger prevention of violence, and clear accountability. It urges the EU and its Member States to implement their obligations around equality and fundamental rights.

Boy in wheelchair at home — Pixel-Shot / adobestock.com, 2025

Report / Paper / Summary

20

mars

2025

Towards Integrated Child Protection Systems - Challenges, promising practices and ways forward

In recent years, the EU has taken steps to improve child protection, yet some Member States do not have an integrated approach. FRA first produced an overview of child protection systems in the EU in 2014, and an update in 2023. The data is published in FRA’s ‘Mapping of Child Protection Systems in the EU – Update 2023’. This report completements the 2023 update with comparative analysis and provides greater detail on children in vulnerable situations, care and the participation of children in matters affecting them. It also offers guidance on creating comprehensive frameworks that ensure that children’s rights are respected.

Sad and lonely girl with gray grunge wall background — Petr Bonek / Adobestock, 2025

Report / Paper / Summary

28

novembre

2024

Stepping up the response to victims of crime: FRA’s findings on challenges and solutions

This paper outlines key challenges and solutions when it comes to promoting and protecting victims’ rights across the EU. It draws on FRA research over the past decade. It focuses on reporting crime, protection from secondary victimisation, victim support services. The paper highlights challenges and solutions in each of these areas, drawing directly from FRA’s published work. The challenges are based on the Agency’s data gathered from large-scale quantitative surveys of victims and in-depth qualitative research, including testimonies from victims and practitioners. The solutions draw from effective practices in various EU countries that address the practical needs of victims and improve their access to rights.

Cover Victims of crime — AlexLinch/iStock

Fundamental Rights Report

5

juin

2024

Fundamental Rights Report 2024

FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2024 analyses the year’s developments in fundamental rights. It focuses on the most pressing fundamental rights concerns facing Europe in 2023: the cost-of-living crisis, rights concerns at the EU’s external borders and migration, and threats to democracy. Re-structured, this year’s new approach is a shorter and sharper analysis. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a summary of the evidence supporting these opinions.

Periodic updates / Series

29

septembre

2023

The Russian aggression against Ukraine – Children fleeing Ukraine finding protection in the EU - Bulletin 3

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine posed new challenges for the EU. Millions were forced to flee the war. As a result of the scale of people’s displacement, the EU activated for the first time the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD). More than 1.3 million children sought international protection in the EU. This bulletin explores the respect, protection and fulfilment of the fundamental rights of displaced children and ways to safeguard their rights. The third in a series, this bulletin builds on the evidence in FRA’s Bulletin #1 and #2 on the experiences of displaced people seeking safety in the EU.

Handbook / Guide / Manual

1

mars

2023

Guardianship for unaccompanied children - A manual for trainers of guardians

This manual is designed to help institutions, organisations and individuals to train guardians of unaccompanied children or to deliver ‘train-the-trainers’ courses. It can be used in a range of training contexts, such as professional and academic training, on-the-job training and continuing training. The manual is based on human and fundamental rights principles and ethical standards and recognises that the child and the guardian have their own personal stories, resources and capacities. It enhances guardians’ confidence to promote the child’s rights and best interests. It also enhances their confidence to act independently and impartially in relation to different state
officials, service providers and other community members.

Periodic updates / Series

21

octobre

2022

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine ― The broad fundamental rights impact in the EU - Bulletin 2

The Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered solidarity from EU governments, local authorities and society as they welcomed more than 7 million people fleeing the aggression. The European Union’s rapid response, activating the EU Temporary Protection Directive, offered welcome relief and much-needed support to those in need. It allowed displaced persons the opportunity to quickly settle and to work, travel and access services across the EU. But other pressing human rights issues have come to the fore and remain high on the EU’s agenda, such as human trafficking, sexual and gender-based violence, hate crime and hate-fuelled disinformation.

People demonstrating with Stand with Ukraine banner — © European Union, 2022

Periodic updates / Series

19

mai

2022

The war in Ukraine - Fundamental rights implications within the EU - Bulletin 1

This bulletin looks at the fundamental rights situation of all persons fleeing the Russian war in Ukraine to the four EU Member States neighbouring Ukraine. This is primarily in terms of the application of the EU Temporary Protection Directive. It is based on findings of FRA’s field mission to Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia at the beginning of March 2022. It is also based on weekly country reports prepared by Franet, the contracted research network of FRA between 1 March and 27 April 2022.

Handbook / Guide / Manual

7

avril

2022

12 new language versions now available

04 March 2026

Handbook on European law relating to the rights of the child - 2022 edition

Children are full-fledged holders of rights. They are beneficiaries of all human and fundamental rights and subjects of special regulations, given their specific characteristics. This handbook aims to illustrate how European law and case law accommodate the specific interests and needs of children. It also considers the importance of parents and guardians or other legal representatives and makes reference, where appropriate, to situations in which rights and responsibilities are most prominently vested in children’s carers. It is a point of reference on both European Union (EU) and Council of Europe (CoE) law related to these subjects, explaining how each issue is regulated under EU law, including the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, as well as under the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter and other CoE instruments.

The hammer of a judge with abstract figures of children — gesrey © adobestock.com, 2022

Report / Paper / Summary

15

Février

2022

Guardianship systems for unaccompanied children in the European Union: developments since 2014

In 2015 and 2016, the numbers of unaccompanied children arriving in Europe increased dramatically, straining national guardianship systems. This report looks at how EU Member States, as well as North Macedonia and Serbia, have adapted their guardianship systems for unaccompanied children since that time.

Report / Paper / Summary

9

décembre

2021

Unaccompanied children outside the child protection system – Case study: Pakistani children in Greece

This report sheds light on the realities faced by unaccompanied migrant children who are not in the care of child protection systems in the EU. Presented as a case study, it tells the story of children and young adults from Pakistan who travelled alone to the EU without their parents or other adults.

Handbook / Guide / Manual

17

décembre

2020

Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration - Edition 2020

The European Convention on Human Rights and European Union law provide an increasingly important framework for the protection of the rights of foreigners. European Union legislation relating to asylum, borders and immigration is developing fast. There is an impressive body of case law by the European Court of Human Rights relating in particular to Articles 3, 5, 8 and 13 of the ECHR. The Court of Justice of the European Union is increasingly asked to pronounce on the interpretation of European Union law provisions in this field. The third edition of this handbook, updated up to July 2020, presents this European Union legislation and the body of case law by the two European courts in an accessible way.

Report / Paper / Summary

11

mai

2020

Relocating unaccompanied children: applying good practices to future schemes

In recent years, thousands of girls and boys have reached Europe without their parents, and sought international protection. Many of them experienced violence, abuse and neglect in their home countries, and while in transit. They have the right to be protected in line with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on Human Rights, and European Union law. This report explores the challenges and good practices gathered in the implementation of such relocation programmes. Based on information FRA collected in 10 EU Member States, it aims to help national authorities to support the relocation of unaccompanied children by taking measures that are fully rights compliant and practically feasible.

Graffiti/shadow on a brickwall showing a refugee girl walking with her suitcase — bettysphotos © adobestock.com, 2020

Report / Paper / Summary

22

juin

2017

European legal and policy framework on immigration detention of children

Up to one third of migrants arriving in the European Union since the summer of 2015 have been children. The current emphasis on speedier asylum processing and making returns more effective may trigger increased use of immigration detention, possibly also affecting children. The detention of children implicates various fundamental rights and will only be in line with EU law if limited to exceptional cases. This report aims to support practitioners in implementing relevant polices in line with applicable law by outlining available safeguards against unlawful and arbitrary detention and highlighting promising practices.

Fundamental Rights Report - Challenges and achievements in 2025

EU Survey on Immigrants and Descendants of Immigrants (EU-MIDIS III)

Mapping Child Protection Systems in the EU – Update 2023

Violence against people with disabilities in institutions (Easy read)

Places of Care = Places of Safety? Violence against persons with disabilities in institutions

Towards Integrated Child Protection Systems - Challenges, promising practices and ways forward

Stepping up the response to victims of crime: FRA’s findings on challenges and solutions

Fundamental Rights Report 2024

The Russian aggression against Ukraine – Children fleeing Ukraine finding protection in the EU - Bulletin 3

Guardianship for unaccompanied children - A manual for trainers of guardians

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine ― The broad fundamental rights impact in the EU - Bulletin 2

The war in Ukraine - Fundamental rights implications within the EU - Bulletin 1

Handbook on European law relating to the rights of the child - 2022 edition

Guardianship systems for unaccompanied children in the European Union: developments since 2014

Unaccompanied children outside the child protection system – Case study: Pakistani children in Greece

Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration - Edition 2020

Relocating unaccompanied children: applying good practices to future schemes

European legal and policy framework on immigration detention of children

Mapping Child Protection Systems in the EU – Update 2023

Country Research

Rights Work Areas

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