The purpose of the present paper on “The protection of the rights and special needs of irregular immigrant minors and asylum seeking children” is to identify, through desk research, interviews and case studies, policy interventions, legal measures and administrative practices that are best suited to the protection of rights and special needs of trafficked children, and irregular immigrant minors and asylum seeking children. Taking relevant EU/international standards as a starting point, the paper aims to highlight the public policy benefits of interventions granting special protection to trafficked children. The paper should serve to support the greater use of such protection mechanisms by governments and other relevant stakeholders, such as law enforcement officials and the judiciary.