State child protection and adoption service under the ministry of social security and labour Director Odeta Tarvydienė Transfers within Europe

Dublin III Article 6 - the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration for Member States with respect to all procedures provided for. In assessing the best interest of the child the following factors are important: Family reunification possibilities; Minor’s well – being and social development; Safety and security considerations, in particular where there is a risk of the minors being a victim of human trafficking; View of the minor, in accordance with his or her age and maturity, including his or her background.

Member State duties: To respect family life; to ensure that during all procedures provided to minors the representative would represent and assist him. This person shall have qualification and expertise. Take appropriate action to identify the family members; If family is in another MS, this state has to provide the information. When the applicant is an unaccompanied minor, the presence of a family member or relative on the territory of another MS who can take care of him or her should also become a binding responsibility criterion.

Child identity Child view Concrete circumstances Particular vulnerability safety Social development Geriausi vaiko interesai Slide 11 What it is important in determining the best interest of the child? security Child well-being Family

Legal representation Time Child right to be heard Qualified specialists Identification of the facts Legal background Possibility to revise and to change if it is in the best interest of the child the decision Geriausi vaiko interesai Slide 13 The assessment of possible consequences of the child rights

What are important in family assessment procedure Best interests of the child; Participation by the child in decision making; Families ability and wish to take care of the child; Permanency as soon as possible; Maintaining cultural identity and connections with family/community; Supporting service Shared Stories Shared Lives Slide 6

Cooperation network

Procedures – unaccompanied minors Border service or police informs Service about all unaccompanied minors entered the LT territory; Interwiev the child ( transltor, legal advisor, ch. right. Specialist) If there is unaccompanied minor up to 14 or has the ID documents, Service take the decision to place child into Refugee reception centre. In other cases court order. Center is appointed as a guardian; Migration department try to locate the family; The assessment of the best child interest; If family is established the individual examination is made by MD and Centre (assessment of the best interest of the child and recommendation for meeting with the family)

Case under Dublin III In January the border service identify the unaccompanied minor (16 years old) (Tajik), Court took the decision to place child in the center He did not apply for asylum status With assistance of the Red Cross it was identified that his parents are put the application for asylum seekers in Germany The MD send the request for Germany; In few days the Germany authorities send the agreement to take child back; Child wished to be reunited with his family; At the end of the February child went to Germany.

Challenges Family assessment (different standards, qualification of the specialist, uniform form); Child best interest assessment (specialist qualification, standards).

Child trafficking Lithuanian – Switzerland: CI recieved the information from embassy about the detained minor (17 y.); Short information that it is possible that minor came to Switzerland with group of adult male participated rob store, use of false ID; Service find out that mother approached to police a minor loss; the assesment family; Service informed the LT police about possible case of child traffiking; information from the embassy that child in two hour will be in Lithuania

Cooperation Directive provides that law enforcement authorities of the Member States should continue to cooperate in order to strengthen the fight against trafficking in human being. In this regard, close cross-border cooperation, including the sharing of information and the sharing of the best practises as well as a continued open dialogue between the police, judicial and financial authorities is essential.

States responsibilities 1.to determine a durable solution that is in the child's best interest; 2.look at the both the child's immediate and long term solution; 3.provide assistance, support and protection for child victims of THB before, during and, for appropriate period of time, after the court decision. It is important to remember that court decision is not the end of story or happy ending for this child; 4.the support and assistance and protection should be provided as soon as the competent authorities have a reasonable - grounds indication for believing the child is victim of THB; 5.shall appoint a guardian; 6.the individual assessment of each particular child, taking due account of the child's views, needs and concerns with a view to finding a durable solution for the child. 7.plan and take a decision on the future of each unaccompanied child victim of THB. This decision should be taken within shortest possible period time. A durable solution could be return and reintegration into the country of origin or integration into the host country.

How to protect child victim of THB from the further victimisation or re-victimisation? Planing of assistance, support, returning back, reintegration The host countryCountry of origin

Referral mechanism Host country Police Court Prosecutor Migration dep. NGO Child service Prosecutor Origin country Police Migration dep. Court Child service NGO EmbassyEmbassy

Other cross border cases 1.child abduction regulated by the 1980 Hague convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction; 2.international adoption regulated by the1993 Hague convention on protection of children and cooperation in respect of international adoption; 3.parental rights regulated by 1996 Hague convention on jurisdiction applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children; 4.child maintenance Hague convention on the international recovery of child support and other forms of family maintenance: 5.Also member states of EU have special Regulation Brussels II bis (2003) jurisdiction on parental rights, Regulation on jurisdiction and cooperation on maintenance.

Central authority Each member state shall designate one or more Central authority to assist with the application of these treaties or Regulations and shall specify the geographical or functional jurisdiction of each.

Functions of central authority General functions: 1.communicate information on national laws and procedures; 2.take measures to improve the application; 3.strengthening their cooperation. Meet regularly. Cooperation on concrete cases: The CA shall, upon request from a CA of another Member State cooperate on specific cases and take steps to: 1. collect and exchange information: on the situation of the child; on any procedures under way; or on decisions taken concerning the child; 2. provide information and assistance; 3. facilitate communications between courts.

Is child trafficking less important issue than parental child abduction, adoption or other issue? Which way of cooperation we choose?

Thank you for your attention!