Third Annual Conference on Missing Children hotlines: innovative approaches and challenges to finding missing children

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1 Third Annual Conference on Missing Children hotlines: innovative approaches and challenges to finding missing children Commission actions in favour of missing children Guido Lanzke Brussels, 4 June 2013

2 Policy context 7th European Forum on the Rights of the Child Nov 2012 Supporting child protection systems through the implementation of the EU Agenda for the rights of the child Workshops on child-friendly justice, children on the move, custody disputes, violence against children, children with disabilities Conclusions: Need for an integrated approach to child protection, placing children at the centre Better interagency and transnational cooperation and coordination Need for more reliable data and exchange of good practices EU funding a catalyst for developing new approaches, fostering good practice

3 EU study Data on missing children EU-27 EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child significant lack of reliable, comparable, and official data on children in MS obstacle to develop evidence-based policies, particularly in protecting children when they are vulnerable (e.g. when a child goes missing) Context European Parliament - Pilot Project Europe wide methodology for developing evidence based policies for children's rights. 3 studies: Mapping, data collection and statistics on missing children in the European Union Data on children's involvement in judicial proceedings in EU-27 + Croatia Legislation, policy and practice on child participation in EU-27 + Croatia

4 Objectives of the Study To obtain reliable, comparable data and indicators for (and 2011 where available) on missing children in EU-27 To analyse data towards improving the mechanisms involved when children go missing in the EU State of play Phase I mapping: Existing definitions, mechanisms, policy responses and measures triggered by the disappearance of a child Validation of findings and data sources by MS -> 12 December 2012 Phase II data collection: Official sources, police records, national statistics Identifying alternative, complementary sources of information Mid-term report, raw database, preliminary findings -> 22 March 2013

5 Mapping findings Definitions Diverse picture across MS (runaways, abductions, age groups, etc.) Protocols Records and statistics - different focus according to approach: Child welfare model: More focus on child protection, higher priority Criminological model (most MS): no distinction from adults, focus on gravity of related crime. Data availability 25 MS able to extract overall numbers of missing children Primary (police) databases or dedicated secondary data bases (e.g. Missing Persons bureau UK) Breakdown by gender, age (groups) obtainable in most cases Little or no information on any follow-up measures Numbers reflect cases not children (repeat runaways counted each time) Little or no publication of statistics

6 PRELIMINARY KEY DATA OVERALL NUMBERS

7 PRELIMINARY KEY DATA

8 PRELIMINARY KEY DATA

9 PRELIMINARY KEY DATA CARE INSTITUTIONS

10 PRELIMINARY KEY DATA HOTLINES

11 WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE: Phase III (ongoing) Comparative database with representative key indicators Fully annotated Inconsistencies and divergences in data Identification of good practices Data collection, identification and addressing underlying phenomena Develop recommendations Model for data collection, core information to be collected Publication of results July 2013

12 EU Funding In the field of missing children Child Abduction Alerts Funding made available through the Daphne III Programme ( each in 2012 and 2013) In 2012 Poland and Bulgaria were awarded a grant - launch of the national child abduction alert system in 2013 In 2013, a specific call for proposals will be published this summer

13 EU Funding In the field of missing children Daphne III project " : Case management & data collection" hotlines - specific funding To set up remaining hotlines, improve the quality of existing ones 2012: Hotlines in 15 MS were awarded 2,2million in total 2013: 4.5million available through call for proposals. 23 applications for 5.8million Award 17 grants (BE, CZ, CY, DK, EE, ES, HU, IE, IT, LT, LV, NL, PL, RO, SE, SK, UK) 3 new hotlines: LT, LV and SE

14 To be delivered In the field of missing children All hotlines up and running to have a fully functional EU-wide service A consistently high quality service by all hotlines Targeted awareness-raising towards children, parents, carers, authorities Networking, data collection, exchange of best practices, established cooperation at national level Increase delivery of quality of service: 24/7 availability, use of new technologies Ensure sustainability of service fully integrated in wider CPS Fully recognised and supported by authorities Working hand in hand with police, social and health-care services to prevent and follow-up

15 For further information DG JUSTICE: CHILD/HOTLINE/INDEX_EN.HTM RIGHTS OF THE CHILD TEAM: JUST-CHILDREN-RIGHTS@EC.EUROPA.EU DAPHNE FUNDING PROGRAMME: EN.HTM