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The 2013 European Commission Recommendation “Investing in Children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage” presented a comprehensive policy approach to child poverty and well-being. A new Implementation Handbook by Eurochild and its partners in the EU Alliance for Investing in Children, shows how member states can translate the policy guidelines into action.

The “Implementation Handbook – Putting the Investing in Children Recommendation into Practice” was launched in the European Parliament today [1 April].

The publication by the EU Alliance for Investing in Children, coordinated by Eurochild, traces the emergency of combating child poverty in Europe and demonstrates how the European Commission Recommendation can be implemented in practice. It presents 15 promising examples of existing policies and practices across Europe that put the European Union (EU) policy guidance into action and explains the process and methodology for collecting those examples.

Almost 28% of children and young people in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, and only eight European countries guarantee adequate access to early childhood education and care (ECEC).

Despite monetary poverty being the most widespread form of poverty in the EU, child poverty is not only about growing up in families that are income poor. It is also about not living in adequate or safe housing, not having access to affordable and quality education and health care, not being adequately protected or supported, and not having equal opportunities to thrive.

“Throughout the Handbook we are reminded that poverty can have a negative impact on children’s lives, with far-reaching consequences on their future participation in the labour market and society. Investing in children is therefore more than a moral duty. It is also an economic, social and political imperative,” stresses Vĕra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, in the Handbook’s foreword.

Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, also welcomes the initiative of the EU Alliance in her foreword to the Implementation Handbook. She particularly highlights “its broad focus, the fact that it proposes an integrated approach and the many practical case studies.”

This publication is a key asset for legislators, policy-makers and decision-makers, as well as a resource tool to support national and sub-national level advocacy in the field of child poverty and well-being for collective influencing.

Testimonies from Spain and the UK

The Alliance has initiated two national pilots in Spain and the United Kingdom to achieve child poverty reduction and to advocate for the effective implementation of the Investing in Children Recommendation.

“More than 32% of children are living at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Spain. Public budgets have a key role in the capacity of reducing child poverty and inequality. Our latest study shows that more than six billion euro were cut from Spain’s budgets since 2010,” said Gabriel González-Bueno, UNICEF Spain Domestic Policy and Advocacy Officer and coordinator of the Spanish Alliance for Investing in Children.

According to a report published by the UK Alliance for Investing in Children, coordinated by Children in Wales, the number of children living in absolute poverty has risen by 300,000 since 2010-11 in the UK, reaching more than 30% of the country’s children. “The UK Alliance members will continue to call for the UK and devolved Governments to fully implement the EC Recommendation through their respective communication and engagement channels with political leads. […] Not investing in children now will undoubtedly see far greater challenges presented to society for generations to come,” says the UK Alliance.

The EU Alliance Implementation Handbook is available for download here.

The EU Alliance for Investing in Children includes the following Social Platform members:

Eurochild
ATD Quart Monde
Caritas Europa
COFACE
Dynamo International
EAPN
EASPD
EPHA
Eurodiaconia
European Parents Association
FEANTSA
Mental Health Europe
PICUM