Child custody

At least 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees have disappeared after arriving in Europe, Europol claims in a recent report and many are feared to have fallen into the hands of organised trafficking networks.

Swedish media is outraged by the murder of Alexander Mezher at a refugee shelter for unaccompanied children in Sweden. The young woman, aged 22, was a staff member of the shelter and was described by Swedish daily Expressen as an “angel” and a person who was there only because she wanted to do good. “We have cried a lot. She was such a nice person, warm and happy,” they said.

The number of unaccompanied refugee children passing through Greece has been a matter of concern. METAction (METAdrasi) – one of the key non-governmental organisations active in caring for unaccompanied refugee children in Greece – is jump-starting a foster care programme to cope with the increased demands raised by the refugee crisis.

More immigrants and asylum seekers were released from detention centers across Greece on Thursday as the government seeks to make good on a campaign pledge to close down such facilities, citing ?inhuman? living conditions.

When one parent unlawfully takes her or his child abroad, the other is left with a difficult judicial battle. To ensure the prompt return of abducted children, more than 90 states, including all EU countries, are signed up to the 1980 Hague Convention, which offers a common legal framework.