The procedure proposed by the Manual identifies eight steps to support children or young migrants in a vulnerable situation in West Africa: from the identification and protection of the child, and the follow-up of his/her reintegration, to the reinforcement of the socio-economic capacity of the family. Each step includes a standard to ensure the quality of support provided to the child.
This methodology has been developed and tested for the last 10 years by WAN through the reintegration of more than 6’000 children in different countries of the region.
The suggested actions focus on the child as the centre of all concerns and as a whole person whose resources, opinion and relationships has to be considered: the guiding principle is that “every child identified is unique, he or she should be orientated and accounted for”.
The Manual has been produced by the ECOWAS with the technical support of the Swiss Foundation of the International Social Service (ISS) and the International Social Service West Africa; it is a tool to be used by the 15 Member States of the ECOWAS and Mauritania: it offers practical support to professionals in their daily work, providing guidance for listening to and working with children.