Updated EU handbook strengthens guardianship for unaccompanied children | FRA Handbook

The University of Nicosia acts as the main contractor for FRA in Cyprus for the FRANET project. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is one of the EU’s decentralised agencies, acting as a centre of fundamental rights expertise.

FRA and the European Commission have published an updated handbook on guardianship for unaccompanied children in migration and asylum procedures. The update reflects the stronger guardianship rules introduced by the Pact on Migration and Asylum and offers practical guidance on applying them. The handbook explains how guardianship systems are organised and operate. It also covers the appointment and qualifications of guardians, and their role in protecting children’s rights and supporting their access to protection.

Every year, thousands of children arrive in the EU along migration routes without a parent or responsible adult to support them. EU law provides for the appointment of guardians to safeguard their rights and best interests. To help guardians support the children in their care, FRA and the European Commission have published a revised edition of ‘Guardianship for Unaccompanied Children – A handbook to reinforce the protection of unaccompanied children under EU law’.

The update reflects legal changes up to October 2026. It helps guardians navigate the complex procedures and decisions affecting unaccompanied children and strengthens their ability to protect and promote their rights and well-being. It also formulates recommendations to EU Member States on how to improve guardianship systems, setting forth the core principles, design and management of such systems.

The handbook is structured in three parts, covering:

• Legal framework and terminology. The handbook outlines the applicable EU legal framework and highlights requirements introduced by the Pact on Migration and Asylum. These include ensuring a trained person is there to support unaccompanied children from the earliest stage of identification, as well as deadlines for Member States to appoint guardians, and limits on the number of children each guardian may be responsible for.
• Principles and guidance for guardianship systems. The handbook presents the fundamental principles for establishing well-functioning guardianship systems and provides guidance to national authorities on how to strengthen them.
• Practical guidance for guardians. The handbook outlines the tasks of guardians and those supervising them, and provides practical guidance to help them safeguard children’s wellbeing and effectively represent their best interests.

FRA has been supporting guardianship systems since 2014 having delivered training of trainers on guardianship for unaccompanied children. Together with the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), FRA has also developed four practical tools to help guardians carry out their responsibilities and safeguard the rights and best interests of children.