representative or guardian should be appointed to initiate such procedures and act as the child’s legal representative in respect to the process, including to obtain documents by contacting embassies or other competent authorities. Identified promising practice In Belgium, when a young person is identified as an unaccompanied foreign minor, the guardianship service appoints a guardian as soon as possible. Children are entitled to free legal representation. Approved guardians are made aware of the issue of statelessness and of the assistance they can provide to the unaccompanied foreign minor during the procedure (help in obtaining documents by contacting embassies or other competent authorities, requesting the assistance of a lawyer to obtain the necessary advice and documents, etc.), ensuring that the lawyer has expertise in this area, ensuring that the young person is kept informed of the procedure and understands what is happening at each stage of the procedure, explaining the possibilities of appeal in the event of a negative decision, etc.). Page 16 ►Access to nationality for stateless children