Source : http://www.unicef.org

Auteurs : Terry Smith and Laura Brownlees

Date : Avril 2011

Table of Contents

• Part I
  Age Assessment Practices : A literature review...................................................................................... 5
  1. Context : the need for age assessment .................................................................................. 1
  2. Understanding age and childhood......................................................................................... 2
  3. International guidance................................................................................................................... 9
  4. Age assessment methodologies................................................................................................... 13
  4.1 Medical age assessment ........................................................................................................ 13
  4.2 Physical assessments ....................................................................................................... 20
  4.3 Psycho-social and developmental assessments .............................................................. 22
  4.4 Assessments of age using available forms of documentation, local knowledge and
  information .................................................................................................................................. 25
  4.5 Ethical concerns regarding age assessment methodologies ........................................... 27
  5. Practice responses to international guidance.............................................................................. 28
  5.1 Are age assessments carried out as a measure of last resort ?........................................ 30
  5.2 Communication with the child and informed consent.......................................................... 32
  5.3 Age assessment procedures : are they carried out by professionals ? ................................... 34
  5.4 Age assessment procedures : are they multi-disciplinary ? .................................................... 36
  5.5 Benefit of the doubt and respect for dignity ......................................................................... 38
  5.6 What happens when children are unwilling to comply with procedures ?............................ 40
  6. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 40
  Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 43
  Age Assessment Practices : Annotated bibliography............................................................................ 48
  Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 49
  1. International Law and Child Rights.............................................................................................. 49
  2. Age assessment practice with refugee and migrant children...................................................... 51
  2.1 Relevant international guidance............................................................................................ 51
  2.2 Separated Children in Europe Programme ............................................................................ 53
  2.3 National policies and practices.............................................................................................. 55
  2.4 Other contributions to theory and research.......................................................................... 57
  3. Age assessment and juvenile justice................................................................................................ 59
  3.1 International guidance and legislation .................................................................................. 59
  3.2 National policies and practices.............................................................................................. 59
  3.3 Other contributions to theory and research.......................................................................... 62
  4. Age assessment and children and armed conflict ................................................................... 64
  4.1 International guidance and legislation .................................................................................. 64
  4.2 National policies and practices.............................................................................................. 64
  5. Age assessment in other contexts............................................................................................... 65
  6. Forensic anthropology and other medical assessments of age................................................... 66
  7. Anthropological perspectives, childhood theory and children’s rights....................................... 73

• Part II
  Age Assessment practices : Annotated bibliography ........................................................................... 49
  Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 49
  1. International Law and Child Rights.............................................................................................. 49
  2. Age assessment practice with refugee and migrant children...................................................... 51
  2.1 Relevant international guidance............................................................................................ 51
  2.2 Separated Children in Europe Programme ............................................................................ 53
  2.3 National policies and practices.............................................................................................. 55
  2.4 Other contributions to theory and research.......................................................................... 57
  3. Age assessment and juvenile justice................................................................................................ 59
  3.1 International guidance and legislation .................................................................................. 59
  3.2 National policies and practices.............................................................................................. 59
  3.3 Other contributions to theory and research.......................................................................... 62
  4. Age assessment and children and armed conflict ................................................................... 64
  4.1 International guidance and legislation .................................................................................. 64
  4.2 National policies and practices.............................................................................................. 64
  5. Age assessment in other contexts............................................................................................... 65
  6. Forensic anthropology and other medical assessments of age................................................... 66
  7. Anthropological perspectives, childhood theory and children’s rights

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