Eurochild issues new recommendations for countries’ child poverty plans

EuroChild has new recommendations to help countries focus their action plans for the European Child Guarantee – aimed at fighting child poverty and social exclusion

As the EU’s leading umbrella organisation for child welfare bodies, Eurochild is playing a leading role in helping countries ensure their national plans are submitted by the pre-agreed deadline of the middle of March.

With figures showing that one in four children in the EU are living with the threat of poverty or social exclusion, the EU moved to create in 2019 (formally adopted in June last year) the European Child Guarantee, a plan based on ensuring under 18s have access to basic services like education, healthcare, nutrition and housing.

Bulgaria (National Network of Children), Germany (The German Children’s Fund), Greece (The Smile of the Child), Ireland (Children’s Rights Alliance), Italy (Fondazione L’Albero della Vita) and Spain (Plataforma de Organizciones de Infancia) are the six initial countries & respective organisations involved in this initiative.

‘Ensure children’s voices are being heard’

Eurochild has issued a set of new recommendations for helping countries’ respective plans:

• National Coordinators must have the  necessary resources to accomplish their role and must involve children and relevant stakeholders
• EU Member States need to give priority to the children most in need and identify gaps in key services
• Collaboration across ministries is key to effective design and implementation
• National frameworks are essential for data collection, and monitoring and evaluation must involve stakeholders
• Targets must be included and should be quantitative (numbers of  targeted children in need) and qualitative (indicators on the quality of key services provided)
• Budgets should be transparent and stipulate: the policy measure; location; timeline; and the number of children who will benefit from it
• Children, civil society and regional, local and other relevant authorities should participate in all phases.

“As we quickly approach the deadline of mid-March for member states to submit their Child Guarantee National Action Plans, we continue our work to influence this outcome and ensure children’s voices are being heard,” says Eurochild.

Click here for more information on Eurochild’s work on the European Child Guarantee.

Click here for more on the European Child Guarantee.