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Summary: Eurochild press release
Last week’s European Demographic Forum focused on “Better societies for families and older people”. The focus on family policies is welcome. Against a background of demographic slowdown in Europe and economic insecurity, well-formulated family policies may give people more confidence to have the number of children they desire. They should certainly contribute to achieving greater gender equality both in the home and the work place, and better reconciliation of family and working life. More employment opportunities and support for working parents may help lift some children out of poverty. But despite this emphasis on family policies, children’s rights and analysis of the impact of policies on the quality of childhood was notably absent from this Forum’s agenda. Across the EU, 19 per cent of children are at risk of poverty. Some 15 per cent of children leave school without achieving a secondary education. There are pockets of communities where joblessness is the norm, and may span several generations. We live in a society where the socio-economic status into which a child is born is still probably the most important determinant of their future health, education and employment outcomes. Breaking the cycle of poverty takes on a new urgency when we consider the demographic reality, notably the population ageing. The children of today are the ones who will be supporting the growing number of pensioners in the coming years. Intergenerational solidarity is a key issue. The policy discussions – such as those that took place during the Forum – are neither far-reaching nor ambitious enough to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of children and young people. Eurochild believes that it is absolutely crucial that policy makers take a child-centred approach based on the principles enshrined in the UNCRC. Such an approach ensures that children’s well-being is addressed in a holistic way and that their needs are seen from their perspective. It also requires a fundamental shift in our way of viewing children. They are not passive recipients of support or protection, but rather active citizens in their own right and, as they develop, have increasing control over their lives and influence over the policies and decisions that affect them. Support for families should be approached in such a way that it recognises children as having rights independently of adults or their parents and acknowledges them as social actors who must be supported in the gradual transition to adulthood. - We need urgently to invest more in early year’s services. And it is not only about - We need to review and reform education systems. Important progress has been - Above all, we need to ensure family policy is developed in such a way that it enables children and parents to spend quality time together. Investing in children is not only a moral obligation but also an economic priority. Investment in children and families is probably the most effective route towards sustainable social, economic and political progress in Europe. We call on the EU and Member States to reinforce efforts to put children’s rights at the heart of policy making. The future of Europe depends on it. Further information
ensuring more child care places, as assumed by the Barcelona targets. To secure the
child’s best interest, Member States must look holistically at parental leave, labour market policies, family and early years’ services, the quality, availability and affordability of early childhood services are critical. We also need to ensure inclusion of children most at risk of exclusion from an earliest age such as children with disabilities, ethnic minorities and immigrant children.
made at the EU level to support the vital importance of the quality of education in child’s
development. Schools are not only there to transmit knowledge and learning; they have a key role in supporting the psychological, emotional and social nurturing of children,
empowering them to exercise their own rights, transferring responsibility to the child, in line with the child’s evolving capacities. This is critical not just for the growth and well-being of children today, but also for the best interest of our society tomorrow.