Providing Education and Immediate Accommodation to Migrant Children in Greece (PEDIA)

Donor: Directorate General Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission (DG HOME)

Duration: 16 July 2018 – 30 April 2020

Description: Through this project IOM in cooperation with UNICEF and other experienced partners (ARSIS, Iliaktida, MDM, The Smile of the Child) is taking urgent actions to ensure that migrant/refugee children in need are provided with direct tailored assistance, as well as to support national authorities in child protection-related interventions. Specifically targeted under the Action are Unaccompanied Migrant Children (UMC) currently placed under insecure conditions that are in need of emergency accommodation and protection, migrant children at risk due to increased medical needs or exposure to violence, as well as school-age children that run the risk to be excluded from formal education, unless they are provided with the necessary means and resources.

Components:

1. UMC’s accommodation and protection

• IOM ensures the immediate accommodation in hotels of large number of UMC living on the islands, at land borders and in police custody. All actions are dully coordinated with national authorities and other international and national specialized actors, as part of project activities’ implementation, namely ARSIS and Iliaktida and with the contribution of MDM for the provision of medical assistance.

Duration: 16 July 2018 – 30 September 2019

• In close cooperation with UNICEF and its partners (METAdrasi, ARSIS, IRC), IOM is supporting the operation and scaling-up of the Supported Independent Living (SIL) scheme, in order to provide UMC with alternative accommodation in apartments and support them in gradually achieving independence and self-reliance.  

Duration: 1 November 2019 – 30 April 2020

• The enhancement of protection standards in hotel accommodation facilities, as well as the capacity-building of field staff and national authorities (EKKA, Ministry of Migration Policy) is promoted by UNICEF and its partners (SYN-eimos  & MERIMNA) through targeted activities (training sessions, deployment of child protection experts).

Duration: 1 November 2019 – 31 March 2020

• Support is provided by UNICEF through its partner (METAdrasi) to the Guardianship scheme for an interim period, in order to cover a funding gap and to ensure continuity of care for UMC.

Duration: 1 November 2019 – 31 December 2020

Partners:

• UNICEF and sub-contracted partners (METAdrasi, ARSIS, IRC, SYN-eirmos, Merimna)
• ARSIS
• Iliaktida
• MDM

2. Facilitating access of migrant children to formal education

• IOM supports the daily transportation and escorting of migrant/refugee students from open accommodation sites and hotels to public schools. Schools kits for children attending kindergarten and primary schools are also distributed to the beneficiaries, to support their inclusion into the formal education classes.

Duration: 1 September 2018 – 30 June 2019

3. Medical and psychosocial support to migrant children facing health and protection risks

• IOM in partnership with The Smile of the Child provides assistance to migrant children and their families facing chronic/severe illnesses, including through the provision of social and psychological support, pediatric home treatment and medical consumables. Targeted interventions are also undertaken for the protection of migrant children at risk of violence, trafficking, smuggling and exploitation or missing children (e.g. 24-hour psychosocial support and counseling through the National Helpline for Children SOS 1056).

Duration: 16 March 2019 – 30 April 2020

Partners:

• The Smile of the Child