Catalonia is facing a major scandal involving the allocation of funds for supporting minors under state care. After social services staff confirmed numerous violations, regional authorities launched a large-scale review of over 3,500 cases related to benefit payments and housing for young people.
Over the past few years, more than 11,000 teenagers have passed through the guardianship system, with the number of unaccompanied minors (MENAS) increasing nearly fivefold. Funding for support programs was provided through private organizations, among which two major entities received a significant portion of the budget. Individuals closely connected to the region’s former ruling party were found in their leadership.
The scheme was simple: for each ward, the state paid organizations several thousand euros monthly, while young people who reached adulthood received additional allowances. However, financial oversight was weak. As a result, some former wards continued to receive payments even after leaving Catalonia, and some of them were both employed and receiving state aid simultaneously. There were also cases where housing was provided to those no longer eligible, and payments continued even without the necessary documentation.
After information about the scale of violations became public, regional authorities dissolved the previous body responsible for guardianship and created a new structure with stricter oversight. Nevertheless, the companies managing the main financial flows remained the same. In 2024, the first attempts to recover wrongfully paid sums began, but official procedures for recovery were initiated in only a small number of cases.
At the same time, human rights organizations point out systemic issues: many young people leaving the guardianship system are left without support or housing, and some face denial of benefits. Courts are seeing a growing number of cases against regional authorities for violations of the rights of underage migrants, especially regarding the use of controversial methods to determine their age. In recent years, the number of such cases has increased significantly.
The authorities of Catalonia have decided to write off part of the debts caused by administrative errors and have promised to change their approach to the distribution of aid. Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office is demanding a thorough review of all financial flows related to guardianship, as well as a revision of the procedures for providing support to young people. It is expected that the results of the investigation will lead to significant changes in the child and youth protection system in the region.
