Charities are fighting to stop predatory crooks snatching child refugees, amid claims that some have gone missing after crossing Ukraine ’s borders. More than 2.5 million desperate people – including over a million children – have already fled the conflict.
Extra measures to protect children are now being introduced following reports there had been 'minimal checks' on drivers at checkpoints offering free lifts across Europe. Under UNICEF ’s latest plan refugees will be directed to ‘Blue Dot’ centres so “unaccompanied and separated” youngsters can be identified by child protection officers, the Mirror reports.
It is working alongside refugee charity UNHCR to ensure all are officially registered with Blue Dot sites so far set up in neighbouring Romania and Moldova. British UNICEF emergencies specialist Joe English is helping organise the set-up in Poland.
