Best interests of the child

DESCRIPTION

The aim of this module is to equip professionals working with children in the reception and asylum context with the necessary knowledge to ensure that the best interests of the child is a primary consideration in any decisions taken on their behalf during the asylum process.

The module will explain the concept of the best interests of the child in International and EU law and its application to both unaccompanied and accompanied children in the context of reception and asylum.

This module will also explain how the best interests of the child are assessed in decisions and actions taken in the context of asylum and reception. While the BIC concept does apply to actions and decisions that concern both individual children as well as groups of children, this module will focus on individual decision and actions taken by the authorities on behalf of individual children.

The module will also highlight the importance of the coordination with the different actors engaged in the child protection and what information must be collected to ensure that all specific circumstances of the child are considered when assessing his or her interests.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, the learner will be able to:

Knowledge

1. Define the best interests of the child and the related Member States obligations in accordance with the International and EU law.

2. Describe how the best interests of the child are assessed in the context of asylum and reception in accordance with International and EU law.

3. Identify the specific rights and procedural safeguards to put in place when assessing the best interests of the child in the context of asylum and reception in accordance with International and EU law.

4. Identify the relevant actors to coordinate with and the information to be collected to assess the best interests of the child in the asylum and reception context.

    

DELIVERY METHOD

This module is delivered through a blended learning methodology (online, face-to-face and independent learning). Online learning uses learning activities that assess progress toward the learning outcomes and face-to-face sessions focus on complex elements that require discussion and physical practice.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

The assessment strategy is based

on an unfolding scenario with an animated character who will play the role of a trainer asking questions to learners or presenting exercises. The trainer will present in sequences a case involving a child in the asylum and reception contexts. After each sequence, there will be a number of open-ended questions

on one specific topic following the same order as the structure of the module and linked to one or different learning outcomes. The learners will have to answer all the questions and/or exercises before moving onto the next sequence of the scenario. The learners will have to pass all the scenarios to pass the assessment.