The EU Alliance for Investing in Children brings together over 20 European Networks advocating for the full implementation of the European Commission Recommendation ‘Investing in Children – Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage’ since its adoption in 2013. In 2020 this gained new momentum with the European Child Guarantee.

Mission

Our mission is to promote child-centred, quality and comprehensive policies to tackle child poverty and promote child well-being, by providing expert support in the development of EU and national policies, legislation and funding programmes, in line with the European Commission Recommendation ‘Investing in Children – Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage’ and all horizontal principles included therein. We are united by our commitment to a multidimensional, rights-based approach to tackling child poverty and promoting child well-being. We believe the EC Recommendation offers a valuable framework for policy development at national and subnational level, but that its impact depends on political will, resources and effective decision-making.

The Alliance has been established to:

  1. Fight child poverty and promote child well-being in Europe
  2. Promote effective implementation of the European Commission Recommendation Investing in Children – Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage
  3. Carry out advocacy activities at EU and National levels
  4. Make the most of opportunities offered through EU policies, processes and funding to reach these goals.

Our objectives at European level are:

  • To secure and retain political will to end child poverty and promote child well-being in Europe
  • To trigger and support reform in policy and practice based on a knowledge exchange to identify what works best for children and their families
  • To strengthen meaningful engagement of relevant stakeholders in decision-making on public policy and resource allocation for children and build their advocacy capacity

Our objectives at national level are:

  • To carry out advocacy and ensure dissemination of Recommendation to promote reform
  • To use opportunities from the EU (Europe 2020; European Semester, Structural Funds) to promote investment in children
  • To organise a high level event with national politicians and policy-makers
  • To carry out consultations and participatory activities with children and young people
  • Capacity building for National Alliances

How we work

We are active at 2 levels:

  1. EU Alliance, made up of European Networks and Organisations, representing a broad spectrum of stakeholders:
    Organisations working on children’s rights and well-being
    Organisations working on poverty and social exclusion
    Organisations representing public authorities
    Organisations representing social service providers
  2. Pilot National Alliances in Spain and the UK
    Coordinated by the Spanish National Committee for UNICEF and Children in Wales respectively.

Alliance’s Advocacy Toolkit:

The EU Alliance for Investing in Children prepared a Toolkit to support the advocacy work of networks and organisations on tackling and preventing child poverty and promoting child well-being at national and sub-national level. Alliance’s aim is to capitalise fully on opportunities coming from European Union level, through direct advocacy actions on child poverty and child well-being supporting national level implementation. Download the toolkit in English or French.

Partners