SPAIN ADOPTS LAW TO FACILITATE REGULARISATION OF UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS Last month, Spain passed a law that facilitates access to residence and work permits for unaccompanied young adults. The reform is expected to improve the lives of thousands of unaccompanied children and young adults who recently aged out. In particular, the reform simplifies and accelerates procedures to issue residence and work permits for unaccompanied children, as well as those who arrived as children and aged out (known in Spanish as Extutelados) and are now between 18 and 23 years old. The reform also extends the validity of such permits, and grants access to basic income support for aged out young adults. Not everyone will be able to benefit from this reform, however. In particular, this is the case for young adult migrants who were never recognized as unaccompanied children because of lengthy and biased age assessment procedures. The reform has been welcomed by Spanish civil society, which has long advocated for such a change. Although the measure has its limits, it is an example of how simple procedures and realistic regularisation criteria can protect children and young people from harm, and ease their transition into adulthood. Read our blog to find out what the reform entails, who can benefit, and who risks being left out.