An increasing number of children are arriving in Europe alone — as new UN data shows.
More and more children are arriving in Europe alone — as new UN data shows A new report by UN refugee and migration agencies highlights a significant trend in Europe: while fewer children arrived via mixed migration routes in 2025, a much larger proportion of them traveled without a parent or accompanying adult. The report was jointly produced by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNHCR, and UNICEF, covering child arrivals via land and sea routes in several European countries, including Italy, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Malta. Fewer arrivals, but more children traveling alone According to the new data, approximately 31,100 children arrived in the European countries covered during 2025. This represents a decrease of about 25% compared to the 41,700 child arrivals recorded in 2024. However, another figure stands out. Around 20,800 children—67% of all arrivals—were recorded as unaccompanied. In other words, while the total number of arriving children has dr...