European Asylum Support Office publishes practical guide on age assessment

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) earlier this month published a comprehensive practical guide on age assessment for asylum applicants.

You can download the 116-page guide here.

EASO says its new publication offers practical guidance, key recommendations and tools on the implementation of the best interests of the child when assessing the age of a person from a multidisciplinary and holistic approach.

It also brings up-to-date information on the age assessment methods used by EU states, and it considers new methods as possible or future alternatives.

The publication is divided into the following five chapters:

• Chapter one, Circumstances of age assessment, is an introduction to the topic, addressing the preconditions, motivation and objectives of the age assessment process.
• Chapter two, Best interests of the child and procedural safeguards, addresses how the principle of the BIC, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and in the EU asylum acquis, can be operationalised and the procedural safeguards implemented in the age assessment process.
• Chapter three, The age assessment process: implementing a multidisciplinary and holistic approach, analyses how the process should be conducted using a multidisciplinary and holistic approach and according to the guidance contained in this publication. It also includes a flow chart to visualise the main steps to be followed when age assessment needs to be undertaken.
• Chapter four, Overview of the age assessment methods, covers the latest developments in methods already explored in the first edition as well as new methods addressing their potential (positive and negative) impact on the safeguards. Particular attention is given to methods that were not in use in 2013 or that have evolved substantially since then.
• Chapter five, Final recommendations, compiles key recommendations that have been formulated to enhance an efficient age assessment process while guaranteeing children's rights

The publication was developed by EASO in consultation with experts from EU states, the European Commission, EU agencies and international and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).