The care system for separated young people seeking asylum needs to be reformed to ensure children are properly protected, according to a new report.
The study by the Irish Refugee Council highlights a number of deficiencies in what it describes as a two-tier system which discriminates between asylum seeking children and Irish children.
It shows that accommodation provided for separated children - from which 300 young people have disappeared over the last five years - is not covered by national standards or inspections which apply to residential care of other children.
The lack of follow-up checks on children reunited with family members is identified as an issue of concern, as is the lack of a voice for children in the asylum process.
The report, Separated Children Visible: The Need for a Child-Centred Approach, advocates change in legislation, policy and services to deal with the needs of separated children in line with international best practice.
The recommendations include:
Extending social work services in Ireland to a 24-hour service
Accommodation centres for separated children to be placed under the remit of the Social Services Inspectorate
An arrivals project in Dublin airport and independent representation for separated children such as a guardian ad-litem
The need to ensure child-specific violations of human rights have an explicit expression in Irish legislation.
Héilean Rosenstock-Armie, separated children's officer with the Irish Refugee Council, said separated children often had no voice in a care system which often failed to meet their needs.
"Although the rights of the child have moved to centre stage recently, separated children still remain invisible in Irish society. This report calls for a child-centred approach and points to a number of inadequacies in the current system of State care for these children.
"Areas of concern include education, accommodation, trafficking, the asylum interview process, adequate guidance, support and protection," she said.
In a foreword to the report the Government's special rapporteur on child protection, solicitor Geoffrey Shannon, said it was important that forthcoming legislation and other policy developments should reflect a core principle of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
"Children should, in all cases, be treated as children first and foremost, with other issues, such as immigration policy, taking second place to the best interest of the child," Mr Shannon wrote.
The Children's Rights Alliance said the need to reform our care system was an urgent priority.
