Vulnerabilities in migration: the case of unaccompanied migrant minors in Italy

Unaccompanied Migrant Minors (UMM) are, perhaps, the most vulnerable among migrants arriving in Europe. That requires institutions to guarantee their safety and adequate reception policies. Since 2012, the presence in Italy has more than quadrupled, raising 23 thousand UMMs at the end of 2023. During the same year, several regulatory interventions were promulgated involving UMMs’ reception and placement. This paper analyses the demographic characteristics, the migratory trajectories, the modes of arrival, the placement and the permanence of the UMMs present in Italy. It mainly refers to data from the Unaccompanied Minors Information System (SIM) managed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. It also outlines the strategies implemented to meet UMMs needs. In fact, thanks to Law 47/2017, Italian legislation is considered one of the most advanced. The article briefly describes what has been achieved and what remains to do to meet the most important needs of UMMs. It is based on the assumption that the presence of UMMs in our country is no longer an exceptional phenomenon.