A new analysis by Save the Children warns that official migration data may be significantly underestimating the number of people travelling along the Balkans Route, leaving many children invisible and at greater risk of abuse and exploitation. While Frontex reported around 12,500 irregular crossings in 2025—a notable decline—evidence from regional and national sources suggests that migration continues at substantial levels, often through more dangerous and less monitored pathways.
Data from countries along the route highlights discrepancies, with thousands of arrivals recorded in places such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, and Germany. At the same time, reduced funding for child protection services has led to fewer reception and asylum centres, making it harder for children to access support, registration, and legal assistance. This decline in services, combined with gaps in data, means many children are no longer accounted for within official systems.
Children travelling along the route face serious risks, including violence, exploitation by smugglers, forced labour, and illegal pushbacks at borders. As enforcement measures tighten, many are pushed toward more hazardous journeys while protective services continue to shrink. Reports from the ground indicate that essential support systems such as legal aid, guardianship, and psychosocial care have been significantly reduced.
The findings come ahead of the implementation of the EU’s new migration framework, which will reshape border management policies. Save the Children emphasizes that child protection must remain central to these reforms, warning that without accurate data and adequate resources, vulnerable children will continue to fall through the cracks, increasing their exposure to harm across migration routes.
