Author
The LITP enumerates as vulnerable persons: persons without legal capacity, children, unaccompanied children, elderly and infirm persons, seriously ill persons, disabled persons, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, persons with mental disorders and victims of trafficking, as well as victims of torture, rape or other forms of psychological, physical and sexual violence, such as victims of female genital mutilation.[1] The LITP provides special procedural and reception guarantees (see section on Special Procedural Guarantees).
However, the Ministry of Interior still does not have a special unit dealing with vulnerable groups, but accommodates their needs in the general reception system.
When accommodating applicants in the Reception Centre, gender, age, position of vulnerable groups, applicants with special reception needs and family unity shall be particularly taken into account.[2] Those with special reception needs may be placed in an appropriate institution or can be granted accommodation in accordance with regulations on social welfare, if accommodation appropriate for their needs cannot be provided in the Reception Centre.[3]
There is no public information available of the number of applicants for international protection who were identified as members of vulnerable groups in 2024. In her 2024 report, the Ombudswoman stated that, in order to ensure all reception and procedural guarantees in line with EU and national regulations, as well as to adequately identify vulnerabilities in the context of the increasing number of applicants, it is necessary to employ a sufficient number of staff responsible for reception, as well as those handling international protection procedures. [4]
The Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions prescribes that reception conditions should be adapted to the needs of applicants, psychosocial support should be provided, and special care should be given to applicants with special reception needs. The process of identifying those with special reception needs should be conducted by professionals who provide psychosocial support in the Reception Centre, and if necessary, the Institution for Social Welfare can participate in the assessment. The Institution for Social Welfare involved in the procedure for identifying applicants with special reception needs shall notify the Reception Centre of all measures and actions taken.[5]
Applicants with special health care needs shall be provided a special diet, based on the recommendations of the physician.[6]
There is no monitoring mechanism in place with regards to measures for addressing special needs of applicants accommodated in the centres. However, according to the Ministry of Interior, measures for vulnerable persons include accommodation in a room in a different wing of the Reception Centres more suitable to the person’s needs or transfer to another facility, constant monitoring of psychological and mental health from psychologist and social workers, food deliverance to room when needed, etc.[7]
Social workers of the Ministry of Interior and the Croatian Red Cross are available daily in the Reception Centres and can provide support. In practice, during their regular work and communication with applicants as well as during individual and group support, Croatian Red Cross employees can observe the needs of vulnerable groups and, where there is a need, can accordingly propose changes in the reception of particular applicants to the Head of Reception Centre (for example, a person may need to be accommodated in a single room, or with other persons, or may need to be relocated to the Reception Centre in Kutina, which is specifically designed for vulnerable applicants).
The Ministry of Interior, depending on the needs of the applicant, cooperates with other competent bodies in relation to reception guarantees, for example with Institution for Social Welfare which is, when appropriate, included in the procedure for assessing special needs. In case adequate accommodation cannot be provided for those persons in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection, a person would be accommodated in another appropriate institution or can be granted accommodation according to the social welfare regulations. Also, when needed, special dietary requirements will be provided based on the recommendation of the competent physician. Applicants accommodated in the Reception Centre are provided with three meals a day and pregnant women, babies and children under the age of 16 are provided with an afternoon snack. Upon recommendation of the doctor, separate accommodation would be provided to those with special reception needs. If needed, they would be provided with appropriate health care related to their specific health condition.[8]
In 2024, a total of 498 applicants for international protection were accommodated in social welfare institutions outside the Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection.[9] However, the Croatian Red Cross pointed out that, due to the large number of applicants and their short stays in the reception centre in 2024, it was not possible to conduct initial interviews with beneficiaries in order to identify their needs and assess their physical and psychological condition.[10]
Reception of women and children
According to the Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions, when accommodating applicants in the Reception Centre, the following circumstances are taken into account: gender, age, the position of vulnerable groups, applicants with special reception needs and integrity of the family.[11]
Separate premises are provided in the Reception Centre in Kutina for women and vulnerable groups. Families are kept together,[12] while single women,[13] unaccompanied children[14] and traumatised applicants[15] are accommodated in separate rooms.
Reception of unaccompanied children
With regard to unaccompanied children, the LITP prescribes that the special guardian of the unaccompanied child shall undertake, as soon as possible after the application for international protection is submitted, all necessary actions to find the family members and reunite the child with the family, if that is in the child’s interest, including contacting and cooperating with relevant ministries, other state and foreign bodies and NGOs. The special guardian must respect the principle of confidentiality when collecting, processing, and exchanging information about the child and family members so as not to jeopardise their safety.[16]
The child shall be provided with access to recreational activities, including age-appropriate play and recreational activities and outdoor activities.[17]
In practice, most unaccompanied foreign children up to now are placed in children and young people’s homes. Children under 14 years of age are accommodated in children’s homes, while children above the age of 14 are accommodated in Residential Child Care Institutions. Although these are open facilities, they are not adapted to the needs of this category of children.
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior for 2024, 1,455 unaccompanied children were accommodated in Reception centres for applicants for international protection, and 487 in social welfare institutions, which is a significant increase compared to 2023, when 1,113 unaccompanied children were accommodated in Reception centres for applicants for international protection and 374 in social welfare institutions.[18]
According to the Ministry of Labour, Pension, Family and Social Policy, 891 unaccompanied children were accommodated in childcare institutions – 212 under the age of 14, and 679 aged 14 and over. Five unaccompanied children were accommodated in foster homes, while the remaining 54% were placed in a Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection or were transferred to other countries in accordance with decisions of the Ministry of the Interior. Most unaccompanied children left childcare institutions voluntarily.[19]
The UNICEF Office in Croatia reported that in 2024 more than 30% of the children accommodated in the Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection in Zagreb and Kutina were children aged 0 to 7. Despite being in the most intensive period of development, the majority of these children were excluded from early childhood education and care programmes. According to data obtained from the City of Zagreb, only one child was enrolled in a pre-school programme. This situation poses a significant risk to their development, especially considering their exposure to multiple migration-related stressors such as family separation, cultural shocks, and housing insecurity. These stressors may have long-term consequences on child development, including learning and socialisation difficulties, behavioural disorders, and the onset of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, many children in reception centres have parents or guardians who are themselves affected by the consequences of migration, which further complicates their integration into a new environment. The lack of adequate support for parents, the absence of professional services for children, and the lack of appropriate activities in reception centres further exacerbate the situation. UNICEF highlighted that there is an urgent need to ensure access to quality early childhood education and care services for all children in reception centres, including the provision of child-friendly activities and psychological support. To address the specific needs of children and their caregivers, UNICEF emphasises the importance of engaging professionals and ensuring access to mental health and psychosocial support services in accordance with the needs of both children and their parents/guardians. However, none of the service providers currently operating in the Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection include professionals from this field in their teams.[20]
UNICEF highlights that the reception of unaccompanied children in Croatia still lacks a systematic approach aligned with the best interests and rights of the child, as the majority of unaccompanied children continue to be inappropriately accommodated within the social welfare system—in institutions for children with behavioural problems or in Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection, alongside adult individuals.[21] The same was reported by the Centre for Missing and Exploited Children that highlighted the inappropriate accommodation for unaccompanied children, including placements in institutions for children without adequate parental care, homes for children with behavioral difficulties, or in reception centers for applicants for international protection; a shortage of foster families for unaccompanied children.[22]
The Ombudswoman for Children in her report for 2024 also once again warned about the inappropriateness of the accommodation of unaccompanied migrant children in Croatia. According to the data of the Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, during 2024, 891 unaccompanied children[23] were granted social accommodation services in crisis situations by social service providers, of which the largest number, as in the previous year, were placed in Community Service Center Zagreb-Dugave (299) and Community Service Center Ivanec (229). A significant number of children were also placed in Community Service Center Split (118) and Community Service Center Osijek (111). The number of children under the age of 14 placed in institutions for children without adequate parental care was 109, which is significantly more than in 2023, when 32 were accomodated in these institutions. It is worrying that in 2024, 212 children under the age of 13 were placed in social welfare institutions, while in 2023 there were 75, and in 2022 there were 29. Organizations involved in the reception and work with unaccompanied children, as well as employees of the institutions, continue to point to the inadequacy of such accommodation. Most institutions that accept unaccompanied children warn of a lack of spatial capacity, which causes difficulties in maintaining an adequate level of care. The Ombudswoman stressed that migrant children come from a different cultural and linguistic background, and are often traumatized and exhausted by the long and uncertain journey. Therefore, the Ombudswoman highlighted that placing them in overcrowded institutions with children with behavioral problems is not an appropriate solution.
Such accommodation also presents a challenge for caregivers. In addition to the lack of adequate space and insufficient accompanying documentation (particularly concerning age assessment), delays in the issuance of decisions on accomodation by the competent regional offices of the Croatian Institute for Social Work create difficulties in providing personalized care and an individualised approach to each child. Institutions reported that almost none of the children possess documentation confirming their date of birth. Further challenges arise from cultural differences. Moreover, children under the age of 14 continue to be placed in such institutions, often during the night, after children’s homes have refused to admit them. The language barrier remains a significant obstacle in daily work, and there have been occasional incidents of unacceptable behaviour, including damage to property and physical violence directed at other children in the institution as well as at staff members.[24]
As part of the program ‘Support for Children and Families in Migration during the Process of Protection and Integration in Croatia‘, coordinated by the UNICEF Office for Croatia, two intercultural mediators have been employed at the Community Service Center Zagreb – Dugave, working with unaccompanied children. A space has been equipped with furniture and didactic materials intended for unaccompanied children, and the training ‘Living Diversity‘ has been conducted for professionals working with unaccompanied children.[25]
The Croatian government designated two facilities for children in Zagreb and in Split for the initial reception of unaccompanied and separed children during which best interests’ procedures are undertaken.[26] However, children are accepted in other social welfare institutions as well.
According to the Croatian Red Cross (CRC), during 2024, unaccompanied children who were accommodated in Reception Centres for Applicants for International Protection received the necessary support in the form of accommodation in rooms with other minors. Also, through initial interviews, they received all the necessary information on restoring family ties with the CRC’s support and were referred to assistance and access to social and health services, education and legal aid.
During 2024, CRC’s employees visited children’s homes as needed and based on information received from the Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy. Their services included psychosocial support and the restoration of family ties. Professional staff working there also received support from CRC’s employees. However, the CRC’s employees were often not aware of the placement of an unaccompanied child in a social welfare institution. A particular challenge during 2024 was that the period of stay of unaccompanied children was usually very short (1-3 days) as they left Croatia very quickly, so CRC employees were not able to provide all the necessary information to children.[27]
In 2024, the Croatian Red Cross mobile team carried out 33 visits to institutions accommodating unaccompanied minors, including reception centres for applicants for international protection, children’s homes, and hospitals. An initial needs assessment was conducted with each child to gather information on their current situation, identify urgent needs, and explore ways to address their specific requirements. An individual assistance plan was developed for 68 unaccompanied minors, most of whom were from Egypt, Syria, and Afghanistan.
Cooperation was established with special guardians and professionals working in the institutions where the children were accommodated, with the aim of providing expert support in working with unaccompanied minors and assisting in addressing practical challenges, such as finding suitable accommodation, ensuring access to healthcare, providing appropriate clothing and hygiene items, facilitating family contact, and organising activities tailored to the children’s interests and abilities.
Particular attention was given to educating unaccompanied minors on the risks of human trafficking and on protection and prevention measures during transit as well as in destination countries. When communication needed to be facilitated, the Croatian Red Cross provided interpreters. For each child requiring contact with their family, mobile phone vouchers and SIM cards were provided.
Separation from family, previous exposure to trauma, and placement in institutions alongside children with behavioural issues place unaccompanied children in an especially vulnerable position, which may affect their psychological well-being. Many also face prolonged periods of instability and uncertainty while awaiting the outcome of legal procedures, such as the granting of international protection status or family reunification. For this reason, individual psychosocial support was provided when needed, organised by the Croatian Red Cross mobile team.
In addition, various sports and social activities were organised, most often in cooperation with volunteers. In collaboration with the City Red Cross Branch in Karlovac, support was provided to unaccompanied minors accommodated in the Karlovac area. Group activities were organised for them, and assistance was provided in the case of one child being reunited with their brother.
A total of 16 professional support sessions were delivered to special guardians and staff of institutions accommodating unaccompanied children. These mostly included: interpretation assistance during administrative procedures and family reunification processes; support in the implementation and understanding of the Protocol on the Treatment of Unaccompanied Minors; development of individual plans for unaccompanied children; and similar tasks.
In cooperation with UNHCR, the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, and the Croatian Institute for Social Work – Novi Zagreb Regional Office, organised a training session for special guardians of unaccompanied minors in Split. The training was attended by 12 staff members from regional offices of the Croatian Institute for Social Work, the Community Services Centre Split, and the City Red Cross Branch Split.
Through regular communication with children’s homes accommodating unaccompanied children, a need was identified for hygiene supplies, clothing and footwear, as well as materials for social activities. Consequently, the requested humanitarian aid was procured and distributed to the institutions that expressed the need.[28]
In 2024, UNHCR and the Office of the Children’s Ombudsperson jointly visited two children’s homes – in Ivanec and Slavonski Brod, where unaccompanied and separeted children are accommodated upon interception by police. Increased arrivals and rapid onwards movement by unaccompanied and separeted children continued in 2024, despite an overall decline in the numbers of applicants for international protection registered.[29]
In December 2024, UNHCR launched a study on care arrangements for unaccompanied and separeted children in Croatia.[30] The study analysed the current system of providing protection and care for unaccompanied and separeted children in Croatia, by evaluating both institutional and deinstitutionalized solutions for initial reception and subsequent placement. Based on research and interviews with a wide range of stakeholders, the study highlights the experiences of children and carers and offers recommendations to improve current care arrangements, primarily through the strengthening of inclusive family-based and community-based alternative care arrangements, such as foster families equipped to receive unaccompanied and separated children and supervised group living arrangements for older children.[31]
In 2024, UNICEF Office for Croatia was regularly present at the Community Service Centre Zagreb-Dugave, which is an implementing partner in the implementation of the programme “Supporting Children and Families in Migration in the Protection and Integration Process in Croatia“.
In October 2024, UNICEF Office for Croatia visited the Community Service Centre Split, which also accommodates unaccompanied children. The UNICEF Office for Croatia and the UNICEF Office for Bosnia and Herzegovina organized a visit to the Borići Migrant Reception Center in Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Borići Reception Centre is intended for the reception of vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied children. The visit was organized with the aim of gaining a deeper insight into migration and refugee policies and protection practices implemented in both countries – Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and facilitating networking opportunities with child protection experts, experts and stakeholders between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The visit included a representative of the Croatian Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, experts from the regional offices of the Croatian Institute for Social Work in the areas where a large number of unaccompanied children are found and who perform the tasks of special guardians (Novi Zagreb, Slunj and Dugo Selo), and a representative of the Center for Community Service Provision Zagreb-Dugave. Formal meetings were also held with Bosnian representatives of the Center for Social Work Bih, the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs and IOM.[32]
A Protocol on the treatment of unaccompanied children was adopted in August 2018 (see Identification) which foresees the possibility of accommodation with foster families.
On 1 January 2019, the new Law on Foster Care entered into force, which provides for the possibility for unaccompanied children to stay in a foster family.[33] According to the Ombudsperson for Children, this possibility was not used in 2020,[34] while in 2021, 3 unaccompanied children were placed in foster families.[35] In 2022, only one accommodation in foster family took place.[36] According to the Ministry of Interior, there were no unaccompanied children staying with foster families in 2023.[37] In 2024, five unaccompanied minors were placed in foster families, all of whom were under the age of seven. Although the number is stil low, it indicates a positive shift towards placing and caring for children in a family environment. When issuing a decision on the approval to provide foster care, the applicant may express an interest in accommodating an unaccompanied child, in which case additional training is provided. Currently, only one foster carer has expressed interest in future fostering of unaccompanied minors. The specific needs and vulnerabilities of unaccompanied children who come from different cultural backgrounds, the language barrier, and the lack of interpreters make the placement of unaccompanied minors in foster families more difficult. Therefore, strengthening support programmes for foster carers and children in foster families is encouragedby the Ombudswoman for Children in order to promote interest in fostering unaccompanied minors.[38]
In 2024, UNICEF conducted an Analytical Assessment of the Adequacy of Foster Care Allowances for Children in Foster Families, as well as the package of compensations, leave entitlements, and other social benefits for foster carers in Croatia. The assessment also took into account the specific needs of unaccompanied children and the fostering of unaccompanied minors. Based on the findings, one of the recommendations to the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy was to adjust the amount of the foster care allowance in order to adequately address the high additional costs associated with unaccompanied children in foster families.[39]
In 2024, there were 1,980 unaccompanied children that expressed their intention to apply for international protection (i.e., that made applications), of which 1,914 were boys and 66 girls.[40]
However, according to the Ombudsperson for Children, in 2024, unaccompanied children most often do not wait for a decision on their application for international protection, mainly because Croatia is a transit point on their journey.
International protection was granted to 41 children, one of whom 1 to an unaccompanied child. Regardless of the year in which the application was made, in 2024, the Ministry of the Interior, issued 718 decisions for unaccompanied children, most of which (704) were issued due to suspension of procedure, 10 applications were dissmissed, and for three children the application was rejected. The reasons for the suspension of the procedures in the majority of cases was a failure to respond to the invitation to a interview. Two lawsuits were filed against the decisions of the Ministry of the Interior.[41]
Reception of victims of torture, violence and trauma
No system for early identification of victims of torture or other forms of ill-treatment by competent authorities and professionals has yet been developed according to the knowledge of Croatian Law Centre. According to the LITP, applicants who need special reception and/or procedural guarantees, especially victims of torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence, shall be provided with the appropriate health care related to their specific condition or the consequences resulting from the mentioned acts.[42] When accommodating applicants in the Reception Centre, special attention shall be paid to gender, age, the situation of vulnerable groups, applicants with special reception needs, and family unity.[43]
In 2020, the Ordinance on health care standards for applicants for international protection and foreigners under temporary protection entered into force regulating, amongst other, the scope of health care for vulnerable groups.[44] This is discussed in detail in the section on Health Care.
Standard Operational Procedures in Cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Reception Centres for Applicants of International Protection entered into force in 2021.
[1] Article 4(1)(14) LITP.
[2] Article 56(6) LITP; Article 6(1) Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[3] Article 7(3) Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[4] Ombudswoman: Report of the Ombudswoman for 2024, page 269, available at: https://www.ombudsman.hr/hr/download/izvje-e-pu-ke-pravobraniteljice-za-2024-godinu/?wpdmdl=20339&refresh=67efca50785f31743768144.
[5] Article 12(1)-(3) Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[6] Article 20(2) Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[7] EUAA, Information on procedural elements and rights of applicants subject to a Dublin transfer to Croatia, available at: https://bit.ly/3VLNPKc.
[8] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 28 January 2019.
[9] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2024- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/National-Asylum-Report-2024_CLC.pdf.
[10] Information provided by the Croatian Red Cross, 20 January 2025.
[11] Article (6) 1 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions.
[12] Article 11 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions.
[13] Article 16 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions.
[14] Article 15 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions
[15] Article 12 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions
[16] Article 10(3) – (4) LITP.
[17] Article 10(5) LITP.
[18] Ombudswoman for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2024, page 199, available at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2024-godinu/.
[19] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2024- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/National-Asylum-Report-2024_CLC.pdf
[20] Information provided by UNICEF Office for Croatia, 4 February 2025.
[21] Information provided by UNICEF Office for Croatia, 4 February 2025.
[22] Information provided by Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, 30 January 2025.
[23] The data applies not only to applicants for international protection.
[24] Ombudswoman for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2024, page 201 and 202, available at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2024-godinu/.
[25] Ombudswoman for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2024, page 201 and 207, available at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2024-godinu/.
[26] UNHCR; UNICEF and IOM: Refugee and Migrant Children in Europe – Accompanied, Unaccompanied and Separated, Overview of Trends January to June 2020 available in English at: https://bit.ly/32AD0OY.
[27] Information provided by the Croatian Red Cross, 20 January 2025.
[28] Croatian Red Cross: Annual report on the work of the Croatian Red Cross in 2024, page 86, available at: https://www.hck.hr/UserDocsImages/vijesti/2025/AD%205)%20Izvje%C5%A1%C4%87e%20o%20radu%20HCK%20u%202024.pdf?vel=5096156.
[29] Information provided by the UNHCR Office for Croatia, 18 March 2025.
[30] UNHCR: Care arrangements for unaccompanied and separated children in Croatia, A study by Drago Župarić-Iljić, PhD, for UNHCR; available at: https://www.unhcr.org/hr/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/12/UNHCR-Skrb-o-djeci-bez-pratnje-u-RH.pdf.
[31] Information provided by the UNHCR Office for Croatia, 18 March 2025.
[32] Information provided by UNICEF Office for Croatia, 4 February 2025.
[33] Official Gazette 115/18, amendment Official Gazette 18/22
[34] Ombudsperson for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudsman for Children in 2020, March 2021, available online as of 7 April 2021 at: https://bit.ly/32B5hEQ.
[35] It is not clear whether they were applicants for international protection. Ombudsperson for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudsman for Children in 2021, available in Croatian: https://bit.ly/3jonKNp.
[36] Ombudswoman for children report for 2022, available in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/43C5ZPL.
[37] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 8 March 2024.
[38] Ombudswoman for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2024, page 204, available at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2024-godinu/.
[39] Information provided by UNICEF Office for Croatia, 4 February 2025.
[40] Ministry of Interior, Statistics for 2024, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2025/1/Statistika%20medjunarodna%20zastita%202024.xlsx.
[41] Ombudswoman for Children, Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2024, available in Croatian at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2024-godinu/.
[42] Article 57(2) LITP.
[43] Article 56(6) LITP.
[44] Official Gazette 28/2020, 13 March 2020, available in Croatia at: https://bit.ly/2PcZGBM.