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RE: Ethical dilemma

matteo_crino — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:45:05 +0000

Hi Ana!

You’ve touched on what is easily the most difficult part of our role. It is a constant tightrope walk.

I think the key is remembering the core nature of guardianship: we are here to guide, warn, and help them understand the consequences of their actions, but we cannot live their lives for them. As long as their choices are legal, it is often crucial to let them experience the natural consequences of their decisions. We won't be there forever, and learning to navigate risk is a vital part of growing up.

However, when it comes to illegal or dangerous behavior, the boundary changes. Because they are minors, their actions carry legal implications—not just for them, but potentially for us as their legal representatives. Protecting yourself legally is necessary so you can continue to be an effective advocate; you never want your silence to be misconstrued as complicity.

When facing these dilemmas, lean heavily on the professional network around the minor, like social workers and reception center staff. Together, you can evaluate the educational impact of your next steps—asking whether a formal report to public authorities or a coordinated internal strategy with their care team is what will truly help them understand the gravity of their choices.

Hang in there! The fact that you are wrestling with these questions shows how deeply you care about doing right by the minor.

Good luck!

Matteo
Guardian in Florence (IT)

RE: Psychological support

matteo_crino — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:31:55 +0000

Hey Marlies,

Unfortunately, the situation in Italy is no different from Belgium when it comes to accessing psychological support. Whenever I’ve needed it for the minors under my guardianship, I’ve had to turn to voluntary associations that provide this service. Their waiting lists are quite long, but still shorter than the public health service.

Good luck!

Matteo
Guardian, Florence (IT)

RE: : Anyone have experience with deportation defense lawyers in New York, e.g., SJKP Law Firm or similar?

Anonymous 81 — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:06:19 +0000

Sounds encouraging. Clear communication and realistic timelines make a huge difference in removal cases. Even without firsthand experience, a focused deportation defense firm is definitely worth a consultation.

RE: : Anyone have experience with deportation defense lawyers in New York, e.g., SJKP Law Firm or similar?

Belting — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:49:25 +0000

Hi! I can share a positive experience that might help. My cousin was also in immigration removal proceedings in NY and we hired an attorney who took a very thorough approach — lots of communication, clear explanations of options like cancellation of removal, and realistic timelines. While I haven’t personally worked with SJKP Law Firm, their focus on deportation defense and asylum sounds promising. In our case, the lawyer’s expertise really mattered and we were able to get a favorable outcome without unnecessary delays. Worth contacting them for a consultation to see if they’re the right fit!

: Anyone have experience with deportation defense lawyers in New York, e.g., SJKP Law Firm or similar?

Papaur — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:01:16 +0000

Hi everyone,
My brother is currently in removal proceedings, and we're urgently looking for a good deportation defense attorney in New York. I found the website of SJKP Law Firm (sjkplawfirm.com), which specializes in deportation defense – they offer help with asylum, cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, etc. It sounds professional, but I can hardly find any reviews or real experiences online. Has anyone worked with them or knows similar firms in NY? How did the process go, were you able to prevent deportation? Worth the fees? Any info helps – thanks!

Seeking Good Practices for Guardian–Reception Facility Coordination in Greece

Elodie — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 09:06:20 +0000

Hello everybody! I’m currently working as a guardian in Greece, supporting unaccompanied minors, and I’ve been facing ongoing challenges with inter-agency coordination—especially with staff at reception facilities. Communication breakdowns, unclear responsibilities, and inconsistent information-sharing are affecting the quality of care and decision-making for the children. I’m reaching out to see if others have encountered similar issues and what strategies or practices have helped improve collaboration. Specifically, I’m interested in: 1) Structured communication tools or protocols that actually work

2) Joint planning or case management approaches

3) Ways to build trust and accountability across different teams

4) Any examples of successful inter-agency agreements or MOUs Even small-scale solutions or informal methods that have worked would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to learning from your experience—thanks in advance!

Warm regards,
A concerned guardian in Greece

Ethical dilemma

Ana — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:47:05 +0000

Hi everyone,
I’m a guardian in Croatia and lately I’ve been struggling with some difficult ethical questions in my role. Sometimes I feel torn between respecting the minor’s wishes and what I believe is legally or morally right for their protection. For example, what do you do when a minor refuses help or wants to take risks that could harm them?
How do you navigate these dilemmas?
Are there any frameworks or personal strategies you use to make these tough decisions?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thanks,
Ana

RE: Psychological support

PIOTR — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:31:31 +0000

Hi Marlies

I completely understand how challenging this can be. In my experience with a 16-year-old minor here in Poland, what really helped was first taking the time to build trust slowly. I didn’t push them to talk right away, instead, I just listened and made sure they knew I was there when they were ready. Sometimes we did small activities together, like drawing or going for walks, which made it easier for them to open up little by little.
I also reached out to specialized NGOs that focus specifically on psychological support for unaccompanied minors. They were much quicker in providing help compared to the public health services, which tend to have long waiting times.
On top of that, working closely with social workers was key. They were able to advocate for priority appointments when the situation was urgent, which really made a difference.
It’s a slow process, but with patience and the right support, things can improve. Hang in there, you’re doing meaningful work!

Best,
Piotr
Guardian, Warsaw

Psychological support

Marlies — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:06:26 +0000

Hello everyone,

I’m a guardian in Belgium supporting a 17-year-old minor who’s been showing signs of severe anxiety and withdrawal lately. They’re hesitant to talk about what’s bothering them, and I’m worried they might need professional help, but the process to get mental health support here is slow and complicated.
Has anyone faced similar situations?
How did you approach getting psychological support quickly?
Any tips on building trust so the minor feels comfortable opening up?
Thanks a lot,

Marlies

RE: Delays enrolling children into schools

ElenaY — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:24:41 +0000

Hello Chiara,

I am working with unaccompanied minors in Cyprus and we come across delays in enrolling the minors at schools quite often. If after reminders and open communication the delays remain, we escalate the matter through official correspondence to the Authorities with details of the issue and the length of delays as well as reminding the right to education being a fundamental children's right which we support and promote. We request swift conclusion of the delay and ensure we have all required documents to assist in the quick resolution of the issue.

In the interim we try to find alternative solutions in accessing education for the child, through enrolment to lessons or afternoon classes to assist the child in accessing education but also to improve his ability to follow school once the registration takes place.

Good Luck!

Kind Regards,

Elena