Author
Categories of people considered to be vulnerable are similar to those listed in Article 21 of the recast Reception Conditions Directive, the only difference being that the definition in Article 2(22) IPA does not explicitly include persons with serious illness, although the definition is not exhaustive.
According to Article 14(1) IPA, material reception conditions, health services, psychological counselling and overall treatment need to be adapted for applicants with special needs.
There is no special mechanism laid down in the law or in practice to identify vulnerable persons for the purpose of addressing their specific reception needs. (see also Screening of vulnerability). Their vulnerability can be partially examined during the medical examination – visible physical characteristics due to which the individual is considered to be vulnerable – during which the vulnerability assessment is performed in accordance with Article 13(1) IPA. The individual’s vulnerability can also be assessed during the lodging of their application. The Migration directorate fills out a form for every asylum applicant upon lodging their application and lists the identified vulnerabilities of the asylum applicant. The form is then given to the UOIM when the applicant is accommodated. The vulnerability of an applicant can also be assessed during the personal interview.
Special needs regarding reception conditions can also be identified at a later stage according to Article 13(2) IPA. Unfortunately, there is no monitoring mechanism in place regarding the measures for addressing one’s special needs in reception.
After their asylum application is lodged, special information sessions are conducted with unaccompanied children and other potential victims of trafficking. The sessions were carried out by the NGO Društvo Ključ. In 2024, Društvo Ključ conducted 741 individual and 345 group sessions.[1]
When victims or potential SGBV victims are identified, they are processed in the system of Standard Operating Procedures. The system is based on a protocol that establishes a mechanism for prevention, and action in cases where asylum applicants or beneficiaries of international protection are identified as victims or potential victims of sexual or gender-based violence. The mechanism complements the existing national mechanism, and it aims to establish a fast and coordinated approach for offering support to victims. When a potential victim is identified, the authority, or the NGO that identified them, is obliged to report it and call for an immediate activation of the Standard Operating Procedures. A meeting of relevant actors is organised and a plan of support is drafted based on the individual needs of the victim. Additional support can be offered to the victim regarding reception, health care, mental health care, international protection procedure or any other identified needs.[2]
In 2024 the expert group met 13 times and discussed 16 cases[3] in line with the protocol on sexual and gender-based violence established in 2020.
As mentioned in Health Care, individuals who are identified as vulnerable by a special multidisciplinary committee can receive additional health services.[4] They can also be accommodated in special facilities such as medical facilities or nursing homes if appropriate accommodation for them cannot be provided in the Asylum Home.[5] In practice, this is arranged on a case by case basis and depends on the availability of such facilities.
Statistics on vulnerable asylum applicants is not gathered systematically by the Police, Migration directorate or the UOIM. In 2024, 252 asylum applicants were recognised as vulnerable, out of which 111 were minors and 141 were unaccompanied minors.[6] Information on other vulnerable groups is not available.
Lack of separate accommodation centres for members of particularly vulnerable groups (LGBTQI+, single women, single women with children, victims of SGBV, victims of trafficking, victims of domestic violence) is another shortcoming of the asylum system. Due to limited accommodation capacities, vulnerable individuals are often not accommodated in a manner that would provide them with sufficient privacy and safety. During 2024 the reception conditions in the Asylum home still did not meet the EUAA minimal standards. (see Conditions in reception facilities).
The new reception and accommodation facility for unaccompanied minors was opened in April 2024 (see Conditions in reception facilities).
Reception of families
Families are mostly accommodated in Logatec. Nuclear families are accommodated together during the asylum procedure while extended family members, mainly single men, can be accommodated in a separate unit of the Asylum Home or in a different accommodation centre. In practice, most families are accommodated in Logatec after lodging the application. While waiting to lodge the application they are accommodated in Logatec.
In 2024 the reception conditions did not meet the EUAA minimal standards (see Conditions in reception facilities).
Since the amendments of the IPA asylum applicants can no longer obtain financial assistance for private accommodation, meaning that families can only move to private accommodation if they have their own means of subsistence. Due to high costs connected with private accommodation families often stay in the Asylum home during the procedure.[7]
Reception of unaccompanied children
According to the provisions of the IPA, unaccompanied minors have to be accommodated in institutions that are intended for minors and provided with adequate support and care. The decision as to where the unaccompanied minor will be accommodated is made by the UOIM, in cooperation with the legal guardian, after obtaining the opinion of the social services.[8]
During 2022, the interdepartmental working group for the establishment of a systematic form of accommodation for the treatment of unaccompanied minors was activated again. In 2023, the new Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors[9] was adopted. The Decree forms the legal ground for establishing a systematic form of accommodation for unaccompanied minors. According to the Decree, three types of accommodation for unaccompanied minors are to be established: a reception centre for unaccompanied minors, accommodation units for unaccompanied minors and youth apartments.[10] Before accommodation in the reception centre, the child has to go through a medical examination. According to the Decree the child can be accommodated in the reception centre for up to 3 months.
According to the Decree the accommodation units are foreseen for longer accommodation of children. The maximum capacity of the accommodation unit can be up to 10 children. Children are to be accommodated based on their age, gender, and vulnerability.[11]
The new centre for systematic accommodation of unaccompanied children in Slovenia was established in April 2024.The pilot project in Student Dormitory Postojna was therefore concluded in March 2024. The new centre serves both as a reception and accommodation centre for unaccompanied minors. Nonetheless, some unaccompanied minors were also accommodated in Logatec, during the year. The new centre is divided in the reception and accommodation part. The parts are not strictly divided and in practice children can move freely on all floors of the centre. Children stay in the reception part until they lodge the application and are then accommodated on different floors based on their age, gender and other needs. 24-hour care is provided in line with the Decree.[12]
Upon accommodation, each child is assigned their own counsellor, responsible for monitoring the child’s development. Each counsellor can be responsible for up to 5 children.[13] Each child has their personal file with all documentation relating to their accommodation and care.[14] In 5 days after arrival, the individual plan for care and treatment of the child should be prepared. The plan should also include the assessment of the best interest of the child, identified vulnerabilities, special needs or risks that can affect the accommodation process or security and benefits of the child. The plan can be amended during the accommodation of the child and has to be adapted to the child’s age, gender, needs, other circumstances and experiences of the child, the child’s wishes and interest. It also has to include all the relevant information regarding the provision of professional support, care planning, medical care, education, career path and his hobbies and interests. The individual plan also includes a plan for further accommodation and the definition of short-term, medium-term and long-term goals.[15] Cooperation of different stakeholders and individuals working with the child is foreseen. The cooperation will be coordinated by the UOIM that can also organise a multidisciplinary team for consultation on the future treatment of the child.[16] In practice, cooperation between UOIM and legal guardians as well as other stakeholders is maintained on a case-by-case basis and depends on the needs of the child.
According to the Decree children older than 16 can be accommodated in the youth apartments if the multidisciplinary team, after assessment, considers they are ready for independent living. In each youth apartment, up to 6 children can be accommodated. They are to be guided and monitored by UOIM counsellors who will visit them on a daily basis. If, after a certain period, it is determined that this form of accommodation is not suitable for the minor, they can be returned to the accommodation units.[17] Facilities for such accommodation were not established in 2024.
During the year some unaccompanied minors were also accommodated in Logatec. The applicants who were accommodated in Logatec were mostly those suspected of being over 18 years old. Due to shortcomings in protection and care, Logatec does not provide suitable accommodation for unaccompanied children (see Conditions in Reception Facilities). At the end of the year, 37 were accommodated in Postojna and 2 in Logatec.[18]
The absconding rate of unaccompanied minors continues to be one of the biggest shortcomings of the system. The majority of unaccompanied children absconds before lodging the application (see Identification).
In addition, while an age assessment procedure is set out in law (see Identification), it is not carried out in practice, thereby raising the risk of adults falsely claiming to be children being accommodated together with actual children. (see Age assessment of unaccompanied children).[19]
As described in Legal Representation of Unaccompanied Children, appointed legal guardians assist unaccompanied children with access to health care, education and reception, among other tasks.
[1] Information provided by Društvo Ključ, February 2025.
[2] UOIM: Deležniki podpisali nov protokol o preprečevanju in ukrepanju v primerih spolnega nasilja ter nasilja na podalgi spola, 25 February 2020, available in Slovenian here.
[3] Information provided by Društvo Ključ, January 2025.
[4] Article 86(2) IPA.
[5] Article 83(2) IPA.
[6] Official statistics provided by UOIM, April 2025.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Article 16(7) IPA.
[9] Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors, October 2023, available in Slovenian here.
[10] Article 3 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[11] Article 5 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[12] Article 4 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[13] Article 10(1) Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[14] Article 8 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[15] Article 10 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[16] Article 13 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[17] Article 6 Decree on providing appropriate accommodation, care and treatment of unaccompanied minors.
[18] Official statistics provided by UOIM, March 2024.
[19] Observation by the PIC.