Welcome to the EU training and learning platform for guardians of unaccompanied children!

A unified access for guardianship training in the EU.


This training and learning platform prepares trainers and guardians for their complex and challenging tasks. It has been developed for trainers and trainees from all EU member States – experienced professionals and volunteers, and persons new to this field. The platform complements the EU Trainers Manual for guardians of unaccompanied children and serves as a didactic support tool for trainers and as a learning platform for students enrolled in the training programme.

The EU training programme for guardians of unaccompanied children builds on international and European standards, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and European Union law. 

Its strong orientation towards the rights of the child makes this programme universally applicable throughout the EU while embracing the diversity of guardianship services, training contexts and reception systems for unaccompanied children in member States. Building on EU and international law as a common foundation, this training offers a valid, standardised learning experience, which can be adapted to different contexts of professional, academic and volunteer training and local needs.

By enrolling in this programme, you will learn to:

  • develop and strengthen the capacities and skills of guardians;
  • strengthen assets-based and empowering communication;
  • build a positive professional and personal relationship between guardian and child;
  • gain and consolidate confidence in promoting the rights and best interests of the child; and
  • enhance the independence and impartiality of the guardian’s decisions and actions within a network of public authorities and service providers.

The EU training and learning platform for guardians of unaccompanied children includes access to: 

  • The EU training programme for guardians of unaccompanied children: [add cover of EU Trainers Manual as icon]

        • access to the training sessions: content and supporting materials for trainers and students;
        • exercises and tests to assess learning progress;
        • download of key reference documents for trainers and students; 
        • download of the complete EU Trainers Manual for guardians of unaccompanied children. 

  • The Guardianship Wheels: A resource centre for guardianship training: [add Guardianship Wheel icon]

        • a hub of valuable information and material for guardianship training in the EU;
        • access to further reading and information to deepen the content addressed during the training sessions;
        • a reference resource for acting guardians.

  • The Guardianship Wheel: a systemic resource centre for guardianship training 

    The Guardianship Wheel is a systemic resource centre, which offers access to information for trainers and trainees, as well as acting guardians. The interactive resource centre complements the training programme:  each "wheel" mirrors a training session and facilitates access to background information, further reading and supporting material related to the themes addressed in the session. 

    Access the resource centre.


  • Overview of the training programme 

    The training programme is structured in four chapters and ten sessions. 

    Chapter 1: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

    1.1. The human rights of the child 

    1.2. Understanding vulnerability  

    1.3. Migration and life stories  

    Chapter 2: Guardianship in the best interests of the child 

    2.1. Creating an effective relation between guardian and child  

    2.2. The mandate and tasks of the guardian 

    2.3. Promoting the best interests of the child  

    Chapter 3: From arrival to durable solution              

    3.1. From arrival to durable solution: responding to the child's needs

    3.2. From arrival to durable solution: decisions and proceedings

    Chapter 4: Quality standards and accountability             

    4.1. A support network for guardians and accountability 

    4.2. Ethical standards in guardianship services  



Available courses

Chapter 1: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

This chapter consists of three training sessions and focuses on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty of the United Nations that sets out the human rights of children. 

You will explore the meaning of the Convention for the guardian and child and learn to use the Convention as a guide for assessing the child’s situation. This will help you to ensure your actions and decisions as a guardian are based on the rights of the child.

Session 1.1. The human rights of the child  

Session 1.2. Understanding vulnerability 

Session 1.3. Migration and life stories 


Chapter 2: Guardianship in the best interests of the child

This chapter consists of three training sessions and focuses on the mandate and tasks of guardians for unaccompanied children. 

You will become familiar with the guardian’s role as an advocate for the rights of the child who acts as a link between the child and relevant state agencies and services. 

Session 2.1. Creating an effective relation between guardian and the child 

Session 2.2. The mandate and tasks of the guardian

Session 2.3. Promoting the best interests of the child 


Chapter 3: From arrival to durable solution

This chapter consists of two training sessions and focuses on different assessments and decision-making processes that an unaccompanied child might be going through from their arrival in a country through to the identification and implementation of a durable solution. 

You will get to know the guardian’s role in promoting the best interests of the child in the context of administrative and judicial proceedings and formal decision-making processes. 

Session 3.1. From arrival to durable solution: responding to the child's needs  

Session 3.2. From arrival to durable solution: decisions and proceedings


Chapter 4: Quality standards and accountability of guardianship services

This is the final chapter of the EU guardianship training programme and consists of two training sessions. It explores support networks for guardians and clarifies the role of guardianship authorities or other competent authorities responsible for the organisation and supervision of guardianship services. 

You will explore questions concerning administration, accountability, professional and ethical standards for guardianship services, as well as continuous learning and development of guardians.

Session 4.1. A support network for guardians and accountability

Session 4.2. Ethical standards in guardianship services 

Trainers Section

The Trainers Section is dedicated to trainers working with the EU Trainers Manual for guardians of unaccompanied children and the associated EU training and learning platform. It offers access to the following materials: