On 14 June 2021, EU Member States unanimously adopted the Council Recommendation establishing the European Child Guarantee. The Child Guarantee represents a landmark step forward in protecting the rights of children experiencing poverty or social exclusion in the European Union. The framework aims to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by calling on EU Member States to guarantee access to a range of basic rights and services for children in need.

Over the coming months, Member States are expected to develop their Child Guarantee national action plans alongside the EU funding programming for the next seven-year financial framework. Importantly, EU Member States must include in their programmes how they will prioritise European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and other EU resources for the implementation of the Child Guarantee. In essence, civil society, children in need and their parents have a couple of months to influence the national action plans that will shape the implementation of the Child Guarantee until 2030.

This briefing for national members presents an analysis of the most significant points included in the Recommendation and an assessment of the next steps that the Alliance and Eurodiaconia is planning to undertake in cooperation with its members to turn this framework into reality. The ultimate goal is to influence its implementation and to monitor and evaluate efforts at the national level. Eurodiaconia will support the implementation of the Child Guarantee to break the vicious cycle of inter-generational poverty and by 2025, we aim that 60% of our members will have produced national reviews on the Child Guarantee. Additionally, we will organise network meetings, public events and publish assessment reports.

The briefing paper can be assessed here.