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The “Best Interests Procedure” (BIP) describes UNHCR’s case management framework for asylum-seeking and refugee children. BIP includes the key steps of child protection case management as well as UNHCR’s Best Interests Determination (BID) process and is implemented for individual children at risk who are in need of targeted, structured, systematic, sustained and coordinated support. It ensures that decisions and actions aimed at addressing protection risks and needs for children are in their best interests. BIP is embedded within, and links to, refugee protection case management.
This BIP Toolbox, which complements the UNHCR Best Interests Procedure Guidelines: Assessing and Determining the Best Interests of the Child, provides users access to the range of tools and additional guidance necessary for implementing Best Interests Procedure for individual children. It includes relevant forms (for example, the BIA form and BID form), field examples in the form of case studies, the BIP SOPs Toolkit, and Training packages.
A set of tools to assist in diagnosing child protection programming and BIP. For instance, here you will find tools to assess the accessibility and appropriateness of national best interests procedure for children of concern to UNHCR.
Checklist for implementation of BIP. For instance, checklist to decide if a BID is required in relation to durable solutions for children of concern, and checklist for Case Workers to ensure BID reports are ready for review.
Various case studies from the field in relation to BIP implementation.
Different flowcharts for BIP. For instance, Decision Tree for determining the separation status of children.
Forms for implementing BIP. This folder includes both internal BIP forms (e.g. BIA form and BID forms) as well as forms developed by the Case Management Task Force of the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action for implementation of child protection case management.
A variety of guidance for reference. This includes the Community Support Volunteers/Mentors Toolkit and guidance on interviewing children.
Other useful external resources, ranging from guidance on PSEA, children of/living with same sex couples.
UNHCR's Toolkit for developing and implementing Standard Operating Procedures for BIP and other SOPs from various operational contexts.
Training material for building staff and partner capacity on BIP.
A variety of TORs for implementing BIP. This folder includes sample TORs for BID Supervisors, BID Reviewing Officer, Case Workers, and BID Panels.
Acknowledgement
The 2018 Guidelines on Assessing and Determining the Best Interests of the Child (Provisional Release) and this 2021 Best Interests Procedure Guidelines: Assessing and Determining the Best Interests of the Child were developed with valuable contributions, comments and feedback from UNHCR colleagues and partners from across the world. Full list of contibutors is available here.
Contact
For more information or to provide feedback please contact the Child Protection Unit, Field Protection Services, DIP at [email protected]