Why we need to act? Recommendations to provide children in Europe with access to services and opportunities Françoise Pissart Director King Baudouin Foundation 1

Early Childhood - Challenges  Insufficient quality of services for children  Childcare services operating on outdated concepts  Parents face barriers in accessing Services  Lack of emphasis on the social inclusion potential of early childhood education and care 2

Early Childhood - Recommendations  Early childhood should be recognized as a crucial stage requiring public investment in services that are accessible to all  Clear quality criteria should be set for early childhood services including professional qualifications, recognition, training, staff/child ratio, educational philosophy and values. 3

Education and Training - Challenges  Barriers to quality education  Failure to address broader learning outcomes for children  Children’s rights inadequately addressed 4

Education and Training - Recommendations  Every child should have access to quality inclusive education that promotes child well-being and the emotional, social and physical development of the child.  All financial barriers to education should be removed. By providing necessary additional support any disadvantage that might make it difficult for children to fully learn and develop should be compensated.  Efforts should be strengthened to ensure children complete compulsory education by encouraging parental support for school completion, and by providing appropriate pathways for continued education. 5

Health Care - Challenges  Limited focus in respect of vulnerable children’s health  Limited focus on children’s access to health  Children’s mental health requires more attention 6

Health Care - Recommendations  Children should be specifically targeted to reduce health inequalities and to achieve universal access to health care for poor and socially excluded groups, including by ensuring universal coverage of health insurance.  Recognising that childhood is a crucial period for children’s physical, mental and emotional development, all children should be assured access to health promotion and prevention programmes.  Mental health services should be expanded and made available to more children requiring support. 7

Environment/Housing Challenges  Initiatives on housing/environmental issues lack a focus on children 8

Environment/Housing - Recommendations  Consideration of children’s best interest should be integrated into city and territorial planning (e.g.children’s right to play and study in their neighborhood)  Ensure affordable and quality housing for families with children which provide long-term solutions and avoid unnecessary moves and school changes. 9

Child Protection and Social Services - Challenges  Limited attention to prevention measures in respect of child protection  EU actions more focused on the criminal or immigration dimensions than the protection and prevention dimensions 10

Child Protection and Social Services - Recommendations  Child protection and social services provide early intervention and prevention services that support and empower families most at-risk and avoid escalation of problems  Ensure that children are not removed from their families due to families’ lack of resources to care for children. Instead families must be supported to care for their children themselves. Efforts should be made to facilitate the deinstitutionalisation of children.  Promote the inclusion in society of all children who are not living in families 11

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