Children in the National Action Plans for Social Inclusion in the selected EU member states

Erika Kvapilova

“Children’s Experiences with Poverty and Social Exclusion – Challenges for Research and Policies”

Vienna, June 28-29, 2007

Structure

Recent trends in focusing on child poverty) at the EU level

Child poverty on the EU social inclusion agenda, focus on V4 countries (NAPs/ Incl 2006-2008)

Linking research and policies – some challenges in V4 countries

Child poverty agenda in the EU Member states

child poverty has been on the agenda of some EU Member states for decades

different approach to address the issue depending on the type of the welfare state

children’s well-being has been very often perceived from an adult’s perspective, and

focusing primarily on policies aimed at: improving family income (paid work and social

transfers) reducing family costs (subsidizing child day care,

education, health care) ensuring inclusiveness (access to educational

system, safe neighborhoods, child protection services, housing…)

Child poverty on the EU social inclusion agenda

2001 - NAPs/inclusion 2001 low interest in child poverty

2004 - thematic study to analyze policies effective in reducing child poverty (P. Hoelscher)

2006 (March) the European Council “to take necessary measures to rapidly and significantly reduce child poverty, giving all children equal opportunities, regardless of their social background”

2006 (July) the Commission’s Communication “Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child”, a comprehensive EU strategy to promote and effectively implement the rights of the child in internal and external EU policies

“Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child” The Communication gives visibility and

puts emphasis on children’s rights as a set of self-standing human rights that merit specific actions (within a framework of UN CRC)

reemphasis on children’s perspective on well-being/ poverty/ social exclusion (important, e.g. when defining child poverty and well-being indicators)

Other developments

2006: The EU and Social Inclusion: Facing the Challenges (Atkinson, Marlier, Cantillon and Nolan) – child mainstreaming

2007: NAPs/Inclusion – focus on child well-being….

Children in NAPs/ Inclusion 2006-2008 in V4 countriescommonalities and differences

(Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic)

Laeken indicator 1:relative child poverty rate 2003/4. Source: Eurostat 2007

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

no dk si f i cy se is fr cz at hr be lt hu lu nl lv de ee gr bg ie ro uk pl pt es it sk tr

Laeken indicator 2:% children 0-17 living in joblesshouseholds 2006. Source: Eurostat 2007

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

lu gr si cy pt es lt it dk nl fi lv at cz ee mt hr fr ro de pl ie sk be hu bg uk

Slovakia

Reduction of child poverty and generational transmission of poverty through supporting families with children (an explicit goal)

Intervention areas:EducationFamily (related) benefitsLegal protection (children at risk)

Slovakia

Strong focus on education as the prevention to intergenerational transmission of poverty, however, limited number of related measures, focus on conditional benefits and subsidies;

Vague formulations related to “preventing segregated education…Roma children”

Slovakia

Family and child benefits:Universal child benefit (a condition –

school attendance)Parental benefit (non-working and

working parents/ conditions for entitlement)

Tax bonus (working parents) Legal protection and services - limited

number of measures

Hungary

Fight against child poverty (an explicit goal in the NAP/Inclusion)

Intervention areas:Employment policy (ALMP)Education and child day careWelfare servicesHealth protection/ prevention

Hungary

Promoting employment of parents (various ALMP and incentives)

Prevention against the transmission of poverty between generations

• Extending access to child-day care and pre-school facilities (services)

• Improving quality of basic education (a new M&E system)

• education for children with special needs and focus on minority children (Roma)

• prevention against early drop outs,

Hungary

Indexation of family and child benefits (reforms in 2006, no radical changes envisaged)

Strengthening welfare services (legal framework, access and quality)

Health protection of children and the youth (improve and access and focus on 0-3 years old)

Poland

Support for families with children (demographic argument rather than the rights of the child)

Intervention areas: Integrated social services for families with children (at

a local level) Social housing (at a local level) Food support (local level) Equal access to education (children from rural areas) Access to child care services (local level) Flexible working schemes for parents

Czech Republic

Strengthen family cohesion and awareness of intergenerational solidarity and the rights of the child

Intervention areas:Family welfare servicesEducation (focus on integration of

disadvantaged children – minority, disabled)

Summary and challenges

Differences in focus: children (HU) vs. families (SK, CZ, POL)

Differences in strategies: focus on individual activation and financial

incentives for parents and children/ students (SK)

Focus on development of (public) social, health and education services (POL, CZ, HU)

• Access and coverage (POL, CZ, HU)• Quality (HU)

Summary and challenges: differences in areas of intervention (matrix)

benefits and cash incentives

LMP Social services

education housing health Legal protection

SK X X X X

HU X X X X X X

CZ X X X

POL X X X X X

Summary and challenges

Differences in targets and indicators Various degree of involvement and capacity

of research/ Academia/ NGOs in formulation of policies and measures Involvement of research and Academia

(POL, HU) Involvement of NGOs (CZ) No/limited involvement of neither research or

NGOs (SK)

Summary and challenges

Lack of children’s views/ perceptions on poverty and social exclusion (all countries)

Increased recognition of children’s rights as a framework for shaping the measures and policies, however need for more awareness raising