There is no national guardianship organization in Germany and in some Bundesländer a guardian is not appointed if the unaccompanied minor still has parents in the country of origin. It is advised that a guardian first examines whether the relative or family member of an unaccompanied minor in Germany has a resident permit or not. If the relative or family member has a pending procedure for international protection, it is recommended to seek contact with the staff of the accommodation where that family member resides.
In case the relative or family member already has a resident permit and housing, it is recommended to examine what the exact address is of the family member or relative. Clarity about this makes it easy to find out the competent Jugendamt where questions about the role of guardianship can be asked. Jugendamts are present in every city and are easily tracked down via searching the Internet.
For both situations it is important to take into account that it is very likely that an unaccompanied minor will first be placed in a so called “clearing stelle” (a temporary accommodation for children). This is done by a social worker of the accommodation or by an employee of the concerned Jugendamt. It is always worthwhile to approach the B-UMF (an NGO with a specific focus on unaccompanied minors) and ask if they can find out in which clearing stelle an unaccompanied will be placed.
Since the situation regarding guardianship and social service is rather complex to understand, it is also advised to seek contact with NGOs who have relevant information about the situation of unaccompanied minors in Germany.
Contact
Bundesfachverband Unbegleitete Minderjährige Flüchtlinge (B-UMF)
Paulsenstr. 55-56
12163 Berlin
Tel: 0049.30.82097430
Fax: 0049.30.82097439
Email: info@b-umf.de
UNHCR
Frankenstrasse 210
90461 Nürnberg
Tel: 0049.911442100
Fax: 0049.911442180