Following the approval of the decree establishing the regular capacity for accommodating unaccompanied migrant minors, Candelaria Delgado, the Social Welfare counsellor of the Canary Islands, warned on Tuesday that “stressed” communities that do not meet this capacity should increase their number of places.
“We are talking about the ordinary capacity that must be in place. If you, as an Autonomous Community, do not meet this capacity with these redistribution criteria, you need to increase the number of places. The logical thing to do is to take action, and this should have been done long ago, not just now,” Delgado stated, specifically mentioning the Community of Madrid.
Canary Islands, Ceuta and Balearic Islands
Delgado emphasised that, “just as the Canary Islands opened centres overnight due to 100 children arriving daily on their shores, other communities can have the same capacity,” citing Ceuta and, more recently, Baleares as examples.
She reminded that one of the main issues remains the sufficient funding for communities to care for minors not only in the initial months but over a prolonged period.
Call for Funding
In this regard, she highlighted that during one of the sectorial conferences on childhood, it was agreed that the State should fund not just for one year, but until the minors reach adulthood.
“Currently, the migrant pressure has shifted to the Balearic route, but the same situation can occur in any other bordering territory. This decree law benefits all autonomous communities, not just the Canary Islands. We must act not as isolated autonomous regions, but as a national issue, ” concluded Delgado.
