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Hundreds of the children fleeing Ukraine are unaccompanied or were separated from family members, raising fears that some could be abused or exploited

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A mother and son are among the Ukrainian refugees who crossed into Slovakia via the Vysne Nemecke border crossing.Dorota Holubová/The Globe and Mail

At the largest border crossing between Slovakia and Ukraine, Vysne Nemecke, there are many children bundled in snowsuits, trying to keep warm in their mother’s arms or holding a familiar hand. But while most children and teens are with a relative, humanitarian workers are particularly concerned about those who are on their own.

Hundreds of the children fleeing Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion are unaccompanied or have become separated from family members, raising fears among aid organizations that some could be abused or exploited.

The most well-known case is that of Hassan Al-Khalaf, an 11-year-old boy who travelled more than 1,000 kilometres from Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, safely reaching Slovakia on his own. He arrived earlier this month and local police posted details of his story on their Facebook page calling him a “hero.” His widowed mother couldn’t leave his grandmother alone, so she sent Hassan off on the long journey to Slovakia, where his older brother studies.

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Hassan Al-Khalaf, 11, escaped from Ukraine to Slovakia on his own after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He was reunited with family members in Bratislava.RADOVAN STOKLASA/Reuters

More than 1.5 million children have fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries. Some families have been sending their children across the border on their own or have asked a friend to accompany them.

In neighbouring Poland, Deb Barry, Save the Children’s humanitarian response team leader, said there are a lot of reasons why children may end up on their own.

She said they could be unaccompanied because their parents leave them at the border, with friends or family coming to meet them on the other side. Also, there are teenagers travelling on their own and children “who are coming [on buses] from the many orphanages and institutions.”

“When you think about these kinds of families on the move, we’ve got to make sure that we don’t judge families for some of these decisions they make but, at the same time, offer that protection and advice back in Ukraine. … It’s not just going to be about sending your child to safety in another country.”

Ms. Barry said children in Poland without any adult supervision are immediately put on buses and are sent to temporary reception centres in Warsaw. She estimated that there are about 1,500 children in temporary centres in the capital.

However, she said if children are crossing without an adult and know they are going to be taken to one of the centres, there’s a risk they will try to connect with people at the border to get themselves across so they can have more independence.

Ms. Barry said her focus has been helping children once they cross the border, including finding out what services they need, finding partners who can support their work, provide activities for children and for kids who travelled with their mothers, to help give their moms a break. Her organization also helps mitigate risks, such as ensuring that they know the person who might offer them a drive.

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The Vysne Nemecke border crossing between Slovakia and Ukraine has seen thousands of refugees arrive. While most children crossing the border are with a relative, aid organizations are worried about those, including teenagers, who are on their own and who could be exploited or trafficked.Dorota Holubová/The Globe and Mail

Joe English, a spokesperson with Unicef, said his organization is working with local authorities in countries neighbouring Ukraine, as well as with the UN refugee agency, to set up “Blue Dots,” which are safe spaces along the border, and transit points, such as train stations or wherever large numbers of people may gather.

These spaces will provide a safe place for kids to play, a chance for families to rest and also a place where child-protection specialists can identify children and families who may be particularly vulnerable or who may be showing signs of trauma.

The specialists will be able to give support but also refer refugees to other services they may need.

Mr. English said so far the Blue Dots have been set up in Romania and Moldova and are being set up in Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. They could also be created in additional countries, he said.

He said unaccompanied and separated children are among the most vulnerable. “There has not been the level of registration at the borders, it’s meant that it’s been very difficult to identify children who may be unaccompanied.”

Unaccompanied and separated does not always mean children are simply walking alone; often they are travelling with a larger group and the group splits up. Or perhaps they were entrusted in someone else’s care and need to be reunited with their family.

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Refugees are given food and supplies at the Slovak border, in Vysne Nemecke.Dorota Holubová/The Globe and Mail

Ivana Godulova, with the humanitarian organization People in Need, said she heard Wednesday that a bus full of children crossed the border. She remembers that on another day, two buses full of children were crossing without family members. “I know that those buses were organized so they take them somewhere,” she told The Globe and Mail on the border between Slovakia and Ukraine.

A Slovak government official said there have been some unaccompanied children crossing the border, but not many. The official said there is a social-affairs officer present on the border who is responsible for minors who are on their own. The Globe is not identifying the person because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Michaela Pobudova, the director of Mareena, an organization that assists newcomers and has been providing information to Ukrainians as they cross the border into Slovakia, said family members living in Slovakia have waited at the border as children are sent over to meet them.

Ms. Pobudova said her organization has helped take family members to the border area, with the help of police, to unite them with children crossing. “When it comes to unaccompanied minors, we’ve had a few situations when unaccompanied minors were brought to us, who either didn’t have anyone here or allegedly had someone, not necessarily any familial relationship,” she said. In those circumstances, her organization calls the police, who then contact local authorities who are responsible for providing unaccompanied minors with support and placement into a children’s home.

Ms. Pobudova said it is difficult to assess the number of unaccompanied children that have crossed, but said, “We’re probably looking at hundreds of children.”

With a report from Reuters

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