Although the Greek authorities claim that they make sure unaccompanied children safely reach a care center after release from detention, the reality is the opposite.212 A Ministry of Interior circular specifies that in case an unaccompanied child makes an asylum application, the police, in cooperation with the competent services of the Ministry of Health, shall ensure that accommodation is provided for the child and is adequate to protect the child from exploitation and trafficking.213 But in fact even those who have applied for asylum are not always able to access care places because the number of care placements are insufficient and because the referral system does not function effectively. GCR operated a Ministry of Health funded program to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, including unaccompanied children, in hotels until a permanent place in a reception center became available. The general lack of permanent reception places resulted in prolonged stay of asylum seekers in these hotels, and by mid July 2008 funds were used up and the program was closed.214 Referral The lack of sufficient care places appears to be the single most important obstacle that prevents authorities from referring unaccompanied children to safe accommodation. One prosecutor said: “I can’t find a foster placement, not even for a Greek child.”215 The Athens prosecutor similarly told us that “right now there are very few shelters for unaccompanied children,” adding that it was the responsibility of NGOs to find such places.216 In a similar statement, the NGO Arsis informed us: “the Ministry of Health says: ‘if you find a shelter I give the order to send the child.’”217 In the Evros region and in Athens, an unaccompanied child is released from detention with a deportation order but no further assistance. Ali N.’s account of his 212 Greek Ministry of Interior Presentation at the Justice and Home Affairs Council, Luxemburg, April 18, 2008, p. 42. The presentation is on file with Human Rights Watch. 213 Ministry of Interior, Prot. No. 5401/ 1 – 261100, February 23, 2008, section 3. 214 Email correspondence from Alexandros Anastasiou, Greek Council for Refugees, to Human Rights Watch, October 6, 2008. 215 Human Rights Watch interview with Filippos Karatzidis, deputy prosecutor, Orestiada, May 26, 2008. 216 Human Rights Watch interview with Sylla Papataksiarhi, Athens, June 12, 2008. 217 Human Rights Watch interview with Maria Kaldani, ARSIS, Athens, June 10, 2008. 67 Human Rights Watch December 2008