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 MoI 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 2025. The CRC reported that during initial and individual interviews in 2025, several categories were identified by CRC team as particularly vulnerable groups: unaccompanied children, single parents and their children, persons with severe psychological difficulties (acute psychotic states, suicide attempts, psychoactive substance addictions, etc.), persons with severe physical illnesses (frostbite and subsequent amputations, cancers, infectious diseases, etc.), pregnant women, victims of torture, victims of gender-based violence, single women, persons with addiction problems, and individuals who had recently undergone potentially traumatic experiences. CRC also emphasized a drastic increase in the number of persons with severe psychological disorders which, in comorbidity with alcohol addiction, result in aggression. All applicants for international protection who approached the CRC were provided with psychosocial support through supportive interviews, referrals, and assistance in accessing rights and services, response to needs, and educational conversations. An increase was noted in the number of LGBTQI+ persons, who were provided with additional support as needed.
Unaccompanied children who stayed at the Reception Centre were accommodated in rooms together with other unaccompanied children. Through initial interviews, the children received the necessary information on restoring family links with the support of the CRC and were referred to assistance and access to social rights and services, such as health services, education, social welfare, and legal aid.[4]
In addition, according to the MoI, a total of 251 individuals were subject to special reception guarantees and were accommodated outside the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection in Zagreb and Kutina. This included a single mother with a minor child, two LGBTQ+ female applicants, and three female applicants for international protection with health-related conditions (a cardiac condition and voice, speech and language disorders), who were accommodated in private housing. In addition, among those 251 individuals, 244 were unaccompanied children seeking international protection accommodated in social welfare institutions.[5]
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.[6]
Applicants with special health care needs shall be provided a special diet, based on the recommendations of a physician.[7]
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.[8]
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.[9]
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.[10]
Separate premises are provided in the Reception Centre in Kutina for women and vulnerable groups. Families are kept together,[11] while single women,[12] unaccompanied children[13] and traumatised applicants[14] 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 or temporary 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.[15]
During the international protection or temporary protection procedure, children shall be ensured access to recreational activities, including play and recreational activities appropriate to their age, as well as outdoor activities.[16]
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 the MoI, in 2025, 244 unaccompanied children seeking international protection were accommodated in social welfare institutions. These included the following institutions: the Ivanec Community Service Centre, Banija-Karlovac Community Service Centre, Zagreb-Dugave Community Service Centre, Lug Samoborski Education Centre, Vrbina Sisak Community Service Centre, Rijeka Community Service Centre, Split Community Service Centre, “Kuća sretnih ciglica” Community Service Centre in Slavonski Brod, Osijek Community Service Centre, and Lipik Community Service Centre.[17]
Most unaccompanied children left childcare institutions voluntarily.
The Ombudswoman for Children in her report for 2025 also once again warned about the inappropriateness of the accommodation of unaccompanied migrant children in Croatia. Unaccompanied children are placed in social welfare institutions for children with behavioural problems. Staff from institutions and organizations involved in the reception and care of unaccompanied children highlight the inadequacy of this placement arrangement. A lack of spatial capacity, which creates difficulties in maintaining an adequate level of care, is a frequent warning raised by institutions hosting unaccompanied children. Educators and care workers state that, alongside the lack of physical capacity and insufficient supporting documentation (particularly regarding age assessment), delayed placement decisions issued by the competent regional offices of the Croatian Institute for Social Work create difficulties in providing personalized care and a tailored approach to each child. Frequently, children lack any documentation to confirm their date of birth. Difficulties also arise due to cultural factors. The language barrier remains a major challenge in daily operations, and occasional incidents of unacceptable behaviour occur, manifesting as property damage and physical violence towards other children in the institution and towards the staff.[18]
In April 2025, the Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia, together with the Ombudswoman for Children, the Ombudswoman for Gender Equality and the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities, submitted a joint contribution for Croatia’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the UN Human Rights Council.[19] Concerns were also raised about the accommodation and protection of unaccompanied children in social welfare institutions, particularly due to limited capacity and accommodation of unaccompanied children with children with behavioral disorders, as well as the need for improved access to education, language learning, psychosocial support and healthcare.
As reported by Ombudswomen for Children in her 2024 Annual Report, as a 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.[20]
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.[21] However, children are accepted in other social welfare institutions as well.
The CRC reported that during 2025, there was an increase in the number of unaccompanied minors who left the Reception center for applicants for international protection of their own accord within 24 hours of arrival, further complicating the provision of adequate support.
Throughout 2025, the CRC mobile team conducted visits to children’s homes on an as-needed basis—specifically upon learning that unaccompanied children had been placed there—carrying out a total of 25 visits to institutions across Croatia. Initial needs assessments were conducted with 91 unaccompanied children, predominantly from Egypt and Syria, to gather information about each child, better understand their circumstances, identify challenges and coping resources, and determine priorities for ongoing support. Assistance was also provided in procuring basic material necessities, including clothing, footwear, and personal hygiene items. To maintain communication with separated family members and loved ones, children were provided with mobile top-up vouchers and SIM cards as needed, and translators were secured whenever feasible to facilitate understanding and communication. Taking into account the heightened exposure of unaccompanied children to the risks of human trafficking and gender-based violence, informative and educational activities were conducted to strengthen their safety, help them recognize risky situations, and familiarize them with protection measures both during the migration journey and in destination countries. To enhance the psychological well-being of unaccompanied children, the CRC mobile team provided individual psychosocial support and organized the children’s integration into sports and social activities within the local community.
Furthermore, professional assistance was provided to special guardians and staff at the institutions where the children were placed in a total of 21 cases, aiming to strengthen their capacities for working with unaccompanied children.
The CRC also reported that during 2025, numerous training sessions were conducted on the topics of migration, the integration of beneficiaries of international and temporary protection, and psychological first aid. In cooperation with the Education and Teacher Training Agency, regular training sessions are held for professional staff in kindergartens, elementary schools, and secondary schools. These training sessions are mostly conducted online, enabling participation for staff from across the whole of Croatia.
In cooperation with UNHCR, the MoI, and the Croatian Institute for Social Work – Regional Office Novi Zagreb, the CRC organized two training sessions for legal guardians of unaccompanied children. These sessions took place in Poreč and Osijek, with the participation of 36 employees from the regional offices of the Croatian Institute for Social Work and the institutions where the children are placed. The aim of these training sessions was to enhance the knowledge and skills of special guardians and to exchange best practices within the system of protection, care, and support for unaccompanied children in the Republic of Croatia.[22]
In December 2024, UNHCR launched a study on care arrangements for unaccompanied and separeted children in Croatia.[23] 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 separeted children and supervised group living arrangements for older children.[24]
A Protocol on the treatment of unaccompanied children was adopted in August 2018 (see Identification). In accordance with the Migration and Asylum Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period up to 2030, amendments to the existing Protocol on Procedures for Unaccompanied Children are planned to ensure compliance with national and EU legislation. Furthermore, pursuant to the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Migration and Asylum Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period up to 2027, these amendments are scheduled to be finalized by 2027. The Current Protocol 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.[25] In 2025, seven unaccompanied minors were placed in foster families, which indicates a positive shift towards placing and caring for children in a family environment. When a decision on granting a foster care license is issued, the applicant may express interest in hosting an unaccompanied child, in which case additional training is conducted. Unfortunately, the number of foster parents who have expressed interest in future placements remains low.[26]
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.[27]
In 2025, there were 1,229 unaccompanied children that expressed their intention to apply for international protection (i.e., that made applications), of which 1,202 were boys and 27 girls.[28]
However, 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 17 children in 2025 (16 asylum statuses and1 subsidiary protection status).[29]
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.[30] 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.[31]
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.[32] 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] Information provided by the Croatian Red Cross, 13 February 2026.
[5] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2025- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/en/2026/06/17/2025-national-asylum-system-report/
[6] Article 12(1)-(3) Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[7] Article 20(2) Ordinance on the Realisation of Material Reception Conditions.
[8] EUAA, Information on procedural elements and rights of applicants subject to a Dublin transfer to Croatia, available at: https://bit.ly/3VLNPKc.
[9] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 28 January 2019.
[10] Article (6) 1 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions.
[11] Article 11 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions.
[12] Article 16 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions.
[13] Article 15 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions
[14] Article 12 Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions
[15] Article 10(3) – (4) LITP.
[16] Article 10(5) LITP.
[17] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2025- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/en/2026/06/17/2025-national-asylum-system-report/
[18] Ombudswoman for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2025, available at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2025-godinu/.
[19] Written contribution for the 4th Review of Croatia under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the situation of human rights by the UN Human Rights Council Joint submission by the Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia in cooperation with the Ombudswoman for Children, Ombudswoman for Gender Equality and the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities, available at: https://www.ombudsman.hr/hr/download/written-contribution-for-the-4th-review-of-croatia-under-the-universal-periodic-review-upr/?wpdmdl=22376&refresh=69b02c32002281773153330.
[20] 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/.
[21] 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.
[22] Information provided by the Croatian Red Cross, 13 February 2026.
[23] 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.
[24] Information provided by the UNHCR Office for Croatia, 18 March 2025.
[25] Official Gazette 115/18, amendment Official Gazette 18/22.
[26] Ombudswoman for Children: Report on the work of the Ombudswoman for Children in 2025, available at: https://dijete.hr/hr/download/izvjesce-o-radu-pravobraniteljice-za-djecu-za-2025-godinu/.
[27] Information provided by UNICEF Office for Croatia, 4 February 2025.
[28] Ministry of Interior, Statistics for 2025, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2026/1/Web%20statistika%2021.%20sijecnja%202026..xlsx?vel=20645.
[29] Ministry of Interior, Statistics for 2025, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2026/1/Web%20statistika%2021.%20sijecnja%202026..xlsx?vel=20645.
[30] Article 57(2) LITP.
[31] Article 56(6) LITP.
[32] Official Gazette 28/2020, 13 March 2020, available in Croatia at: https://bit.ly/2PcZGBM.