judicial involvement, ensuring that no other option can fulfil the child’s best interests.221 In the best-interests assessment, how to preserve the family environment and maintain family relations is a key element that must be considered.222 Any intervention should be combined with efforts to support the family. Of relevance for States that may wish to repatriate children affected by the foreign-fighter phenomenon, children should generally be repatriated with their parents or legal guardians, and certainly with siblings. If repatriation together is not possible, for example owing to differing nationalities, with parental consent, repatriation may proceed without a best-interests determination. However, a best-interests determination is necessary if a child is unaccompanied, if the child is at risk of imminent harm from the parent, or in a custody dispute. When such a procedure cannot be undertaken in the country where the child is currently residing, the child should be repatriated with the parent and the best-interests determination undertaken in the country of origin with proper safeguards in place, so that the wishes of the child and the parents can be considered. (See chapter 4 on repatriation.) completely dependent: members of their own family.225 Consequently, parents and other family members have been noted to play a critical role within terrorist organizations in the recruitment of children, as well as preventing child recruitment into such groups. When a child is in danger of experiencing imminent harm from parental action, temporary removal may be warranted.226 Again, any such decision must be made based by a competent authority subject to judicial review, on the basis of actual risk to the child’s well-being and should be in accordance with the Guidelines for Alternative Care of Children (see the following box).227 Even in these cases, the best interests of the child have to be a primary consideration, and separation should not take place unless there are no less intrusive measures to protect the child.228 As discussed earlier, States are to provide support to the parents in assuming their parental responsibilities before resorting to separation.229 116. Children of individuals suspected of being foreign fighters may be particularly at risk of forcible recruitment by a designated terrorist group.223 Children are perceived by armed groups as being more ideologically malleable than adults and are seen as easy targets for indoctrination and recruitment to participate in violence.224 Further, children are often the most susceptible to recruitment or exploitation by those they love or by those on whom they are 221 Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comment No. 14 (2013), para. 64. 222 Ibid., paras 52, 58–70; Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comment No. 6 (2005), para. 34. 223 A/HRC/40/28, para. 34. 224 United Nations University, Cradled by Conflict: Child Involvement with Armed Groups in Contemporary Conflict (2018), 113. 225 Ibid. 226 Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comment No. 14 (2013), section V, para A(1)(c); A/HRC/40/28, para. 34. 227 A/HRC/40/28, para. 34. 228 Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comment No. 14 (2013), section V, para. A(1)(c). 229 Ibid. 53.