Reports on an international seminar convened by R??dda Barnen (Swedish Save the Children) to address the subject of children who are separated from their parents due to political circumstances in their country of origin and how and when to facilitate their voluntary reunion with their families. The report provides an overview of the current, global situation of separated children, including a discussion of the legal mechanisms available to identify and protect the best interests of the children; addresses the psychological impact of separation on children; discusses separation due to war, abduction, forced recruitment by government or armed rebel forces, or parental abandonment, as distinct from voluntary separation; offers best practices related to returning children to their country of origin and ensuring the successful reintegration of children into their communities and culture, with examples drawn from programs in Sweden, Denmark, and Italy. Also contains appendices outlining a collaborative program between R??dda Barnen and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to promote the well-being and protection of separated children living in Europe and depicting R??dda Barnen’s model for integration and voluntary return.
