Our work

Children, Families and Youth

For many children and families, being undocumented means that it’s a struggle to access to schools, health care and decent housing, and living in constant fear of deportation. For teenagers and young adults, it means facing an uncertain future.

We call for systems that put children, youth and family life at the centre, and make their future safe.

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Criminalisation Detention and Deportations Digital Technologies Gender Equality Health Housing and Anti-Poverty Justice and Policing Regularisation Work

Related publications

Read our publications to learn about how migration policies shape our societies and the lives of undocumented people, and how they can be improved.

2024
Children and Families

PICUM Analysis: Children’s rights in the 2024 Migration and Asylum Pact

2023
Children and Families

Key aspects of child protection systems that help protect all children from harm

2023
Children and Families

Access to Early Childhood Education and Care for Undocumented Children and Families

2022
Participation and Emancipation

Lessons learned in supporting undocumented young people advocating for change

2022
Children and Families

Turning 18 and undocumented: Supporting children in their transition into adulthood

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Related blogs

Read our blogs to learn about laws, policies and issues that affect undocumented people.

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24.09.24 What the new Commission means for undocumented migrants Read more
09.10.23 Sweden: government considers obligation to denounce undocumented migrants 18.07.23 Greece: what the new Migration Code means for undocumented people 04.04.23 Spain: over 16.000 young migrants obtain residence permits thanks to 2021 reform
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Video library

For children with precarious residence status, turning 18 means losing the rights they held as children and often not having a secure residence permit. Without it, they won't be able to do things like studying, working or getting a driver's license. They might have to leave wherever they were living, and risk becoming homeless. It doesn't have to be like this. We can improve residence permits and develop new ones to prevent children from becoming undocumented adults. Children and young people should be also be prepared and supported through their transition into adulthood. These children are part of our societies. Let’s make their future safe.

A step into the void: the transition to adulthood of migrant children - 02:00

Video library

When governments decide on children’s futures, they should prioritise their rights as children. Our animation illustrates how to assess and act on the best interests of the child in migration procedures, including returns.

Best interests procedures - 02:54

Video library

Children should only be returned when a fair procedure has found it is in the best interests. A best interests procedure for the identification of durable solutions for children in migration should be put in place by all countries.

To play alone - 01:57