Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre, Brussels
Tuesday 24th October 2017
"At least 250,000 children are reported missing every year in the European Union. The cases include runaways, parental abduction or abduction by a third person; lost, injured or otherwise missing children, and missing unaccompanied migrant children. About 80% of the cases are reported to State authorities and specialised missing children services and the vast majority of children return home or are found after a short period.
Missing unaccompanied migrant children represent the highest number of unreported cases. Migrant children are considered missing when they disappear from state care, from the reception or accommodation provided for them. The reasons are various: inadequate reception conditions, the fear of deportation or detention, or the desire to join family members elsewhere. Missing migrant children are extremely vulnerable, as they are exposed to high risks of trafficking, (sexual) exploitation, or violence along their way, resulting in mental health issues and trauma for 10/20% of unaccompanied children.
This timely international symposium provides an invaluable opportunity to discuss how to tackle the problem of young runaways and missing migrant children in Europe. The symposium will examine how to improve child protection across the EU and explore innovative methods of collaboration between Member States. Delegates will also have the chance to evaluate the effectiveness of assistance tools and child alert mechanisms. Public Policy Exchange welcomes the participation of all key partners, responsible authorities and stakeholders.
I am pleased to advise you that we offer a 20% early registration discount off the standard delegate rates (subject to type of organisation and terms and conditions) for bookings received by the 15th September 2017. For further details, please refer to the enclosed event brochure. Do feel free to circulate this information to relevant colleagues within your organisation. In the meantime, to ensure your organisation is represented, please book online or complete and return the registration form at your earliest convenience in order to secure your delegate place(s)."