{"id":111916,"date":"2026-06-03T16:22:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T13:22:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/?p=111916"},"modified":"2026-09-15T16:26:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T13:26:53","slug":"the-international-guide-webinar-series-supporting-the-legal-representation-of-unaccompanied-children-has-concluded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/the-international-guide-webinar-series-supporting-the-legal-representation-of-unaccompanied-children-has-concluded\/","title":{"rendered":"The International GUIDE Webinar Series Supporting the Legal Representation of Unaccompanied Children Has Concluded"},"content":{"rendered":"

The international webinar series dedicated to the legal representation of unaccompanied refugee children in the European Union has come to an end. Organised by the partners of the GUIDE project \u2013 Supporting Guardians of Unaccompanied Children<\/em> \u2013 the webinars brought together institutional representatives and experts to share experience, discuss challenges and exchange good practices from five European countries.<\/p>\n

Legal representatives play a crucial role in protecting the rights and best interests of unaccompanied children. At the same time, the systems supporting them vary considerably across countries. The webinar series provided an opportunity to look at these different approaches and explore ways to strengthen guardianship systems and ensure better protection for children.<\/p>\n

In April, TENENET Slovakia organised the webinar \u201cStrengthening Guardianship in Slovakia: National Framework and Coordinated Referral Pathways\u201d<\/em>, while the Greek organisation IASIS hosted \u201cWho Protects the Protectors? The Hidden Challenges of Guardianship in the Greek Child Protection System\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The series continued in May with the webinar \u201cStrengthening the Guardianship System in Italy: From Public Social Centres to Effective Stakeholder Coordination\u201d<\/em>, organised by CESIE ETS. The National Network for Children organised and moderated \u201cLegal, Social and Psychological Aspects of Working with Unaccompanied Children in Bulgaria\u201d<\/em>, while Imago Foundation organised \u201cLegal and Psychosocial Aspects of Guardianship in Poland\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Bulgarian webinar<\/h3>\n

The Bulgarian webinar brought together four presentations exploring the institutional, legal and psychosocial dimensions of working with unaccompanied children.<\/p>\n

Ms Rumyana Atanasova<\/strong>, Director of the Social Activities and Adaptation Directorate at the State Agency for Refugees under the Council of Ministers, presented \u201cThe New European Rules on Migration and Asylum and the Preparations of the State Agency for Refugees under the Council of Ministers.\u201d<\/em> She outlined the upcoming European regulatory changes related to the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and their implications in the Bulgarian context, offering participants an institutional perspective on the changes ahead.<\/p>\n

Ms Dilyana Giteva<\/strong>, lawyer and legal representative at the Sofia Bar Association, presented \u201cChallenges and Responsibilities of a Legal Representative.\u201d<\/em> Her presentation looked at the development of the legal representation system for unaccompanied children in Bulgaria, highlighting both the challenges faced in the past and the progress made in protection policies and mechanisms. It also addressed the practical responsibilities of legal representatives and the challenges involved in providing direct legal support and representation.<\/p>\n

Mr Velimir Velyanov<\/strong>, psychologist at a transitional residence for children aged 15 to 18 in Burgas, presented \u201cPsychological Work with Unaccompanied Children.\u201d<\/em> He focused on approaches to building trust, supporting children’s emotional well-being and responding to the specific vulnerabilities and life experiences of children affected by displacement and migration.<\/p>\n

Ms Ekaterina Kuzmina<\/strong>, psychologist at the Bulgarian Red Cross in Ruse, presented \u201cUnaccompanied Children Between Trauma, Systems and Hope.\u201d<\/em> Her presentation explored the psychological and emotional realities faced by unaccompanied children, with a focus on trauma-informed approaches and the relationship between individual experiences, institutional systems and resilience-building.<\/p>\n

The presentation also connected directly with the Listening Circles implemented through the GUIDE project, highlighting the importance of creating safe spaces for professionals to reflect, share experiences and support one another. Particular attention was given to professionals\u2019 emotional resilience, peer support and the prevention of burnout when working with vulnerable children.<\/p>\n

The GUIDE project will conclude with a final event scheduled for the end of September 2026. The event will bring together the main activities, results and lessons learned throughout the project and will provide an opportunity to reflect on how guardianship and support systems for unaccompanied children can be further strengthened.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The international webinar series dedicated to the legal representation of unaccompanied refugee children in the European Union has come to an end. Organised by the partners of the GUIDE project […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":428,"featured_media":111917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news_en","newsletter_cat-news-from-the-nnc-office"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/428"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111916"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111918,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111916\/revisions\/111918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmd.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}