The Government approves 35 million euros for the care of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents

The Council of Ministers today approved a first budget line of 35 million for the care of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents in 2024. The main objective is to offer financial support from the Central Government to the main stressed arrival territories.

The approved amount is divided into two blocks: 15 million destined for the Canary Islands and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and another 20 million, aimed at transfers between Autonomous Communities.

Back-up to Arrival Territories
The first batch will go to the three main territories of arrival of the African migratory routes, with a distribution of 6 million for the Canarian archipelago and 4.5 million for each autonomous city.

With these amounts, the respective Governments will be able to meet the expenses derived from the immediate care and reception of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents. In addition, this heading also includes coverage for information, counselling and psychosocial support actions, including schooling, socio-labour insertion and social inclusion (either in residential or family care), legal representation and legal guidance and assistance in immigration and asylum procedures.

Apart from these concepts, the first budget block will also cover additional expenses arising from the expansion of the system’s places, structural expenses and those derived from the care of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents that the autonomous communities have been attending since the system of interterritorial relocation was launched.

Transfers between autonomous communities
The second part, of 20 million, will go to all the Autonomous Communities of destination (except the Basque Country and Navarre, which assume distribution places but receive funding through their own concert systems) and to the Autonomous City of Ceuta.

The aim is to care for 400 unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents (300 from the Canary Islands and 100 from Ceuta). As agreed in the Sectoral Commission, in 2024, 347 of these unaccompanied migrant minors will be transferred. The remaining 53 will remain in the Canaries (40) and in Ceuta (13), receiving these territories, however, the funding corresponding to the places to cover the expenses generated.

In the same way as in the first budgetary block, the expenses to be financed from this allocation will be those intended for the immediate care and reception of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents transferred. Information, counselling and psychosocial support activities will also be included, including schooling, socio-occupational integration and social inclusion, whether in residential care or family care, legal representation and legal guidance and assistance in immigration and asylum procedures.

Within the heading intended for transfers, there is a second part aimed at the reception effort made by each autonomous community. This allocation measures this structural effort proportionally and progressively, and will finance possible additional costs arising from the expansion of system seats and structural costs.