Bridging research, policy & practice: the role of EU civil society network

1. Bridging research, policy & practice: the role of EU civil society network York, 27-29July 2011 Agata D’Addato Policy Officer

2. Outline • Who is Eurochild? • Eurochild’s advocacy work on child well-being indicators • Measuring child well-being: some shortcomings • The well-being framework (3-pillar approach) & set of indicators • The role of civil society network in bridging research, policy & practice • - relevance to practice • - relevance to actual lived experience of • children & young people • - relevance to influencing policy

3. Who is Eurochild? • Representing over 90 children’s organisations from 32 European countries • Mission to promote the rights and welfare of children & young people in Europe • The only EU network specifically focused on child rights & well-being that brings together membership from different sectors (NGOs, professionals, local/regional authorities, academic institutions) • Co-funded through the EC PROGRESS programme (2007-2013)

4. Our thematic priorities Campaign for the realisation of children’s rights across Europe by influencing policy at EU level and strengthening members’ capacity to influence policy at national levels • THEMATIC PRIORITIES: • children & young people’s participation • early years education & care • family & parenting support • children in alternative care Empower children and young people United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

5. Eurochild’s advocacy work on child well-being indicators • The bulk of our work is on the development of EU indicators – But some of our members are engaged in national / regional level indicators. • Since 2006 Eurochild has advocated for a set of child well-being indicators to be integrated into the reporting and follow-up at EU level of member state action on child poverty and well-being – not to rely solely on household income. • In 2009 we produced a policy briefing calling for: more child-centred indicators and subjective measures of well-being; evidence-based targets; annual publicised scoreboard on child poverty and well-being; regular monitoring and reporting on child well-being. • One of the main demands of our 2010 ‘end child poverty’ campaign was that the EU develop a scorecard on child poverty & well-being showing how member states are performing against agreed benchmarks that reflect a broad range of dimensions of child well-being, informed by the UNCRC. • We have asked for a set of indicators to be part of the upcoming EC Recommendation on child poverty and well-being.

6. Measuring child well-being - Shortcomings • Increasingly broad understanding of child well-being and its multi-dimensionality BUT still a lack of a holistic child-centred vision. The UNCRC stands as a universally accepted normative framework for achieving children’s rights and ultimately children’s well-being. • A broad range of dimensions of child well-being - informed by the UNCRC - needs to be reflected. Involvement of children and young people themselvesis crucial. • An attempt should be made to capture the most vulnerable groups – fall outside household surveys . • Indicators are one monitoring tool and need to be complemented by an in-depth analysis which goes back to the causes. • More efforts should be made to employ indicators in shaping policies and services and ultimately improve people’s quality of life and well-being.

7. Towards a EC Recommendation on child poverty & well-being Strong commitment with the past EU Trio Presidency (ES, HU, BE) • We have asked for a set of child well-being indicators to be part of the upcoming EC Recommendation on child poverty and well-being in order to support the policy objectives. • Design a system of indicators that will support the development of policies guided by knowledge & evidence. Eurochild co-organized the European Conference WHO CARES 1st -2nd September 2010

8. Child rights / 3-pillar approach • Access to adequate resources for all children and their families • Income and benefits • Reconciling work and family life • Access to quality services and opportunities • Early childhood • Education (with specific attention to Roma children) • Health care • Environment/housing • Child protection from violence, abuse and exploitation & social services (with specific attention to placement of children in institutional care) • Ensure active participation & inclusion of children and young people • Children’s right to be heard • Participation of children in social, recreational, cultural, sporting & civic activities

9. The monitoring framework (1) ACCESS TO RESOURCES 1. Income and benefits 2. Reconciling work and family life - Labour market attachment of parents & impact of cash transfers - Data on reconciliation measures / leave arrangements(e.g. OECD family database) - Other dimensions of material deprivation included. However these items, based on EU-SILC data, have been developed for adults and are not child-focused. UNICEF’s Report Card 7 refers to two sets of indicators: family affluence and educational possessions. In 2009 a new wave of child related questions was asked in the EU-SILC - One very important aspect when discussing child poverty is ability to afford out of school activities and hobbies • One very important aspect when discussing child poverty is ability to afford out of school activities and hobbies (neglected here) • Reconciling work and family life (Disappointing that data on reconciliation measures/ leave arrangements are not included – could look at OECD Family Database)

10. The monitoring framework (2) ACCESS TO SERVICES 2. Education & training 1. Early childhood education and care - Furtherexplore surveys providing information on children’s attitude to schools(e.g. European Quality of Life Survey) - Current approach still focuses on child care as an enabling service for parents to work – not on the quality of care provided to the children. We should find better ways to monitor member states policies on early years than simply quantitative data on the number of childcare places. 4. Housing and environment - Monitor the quality of the environment in which children are living – this could be access to safe water & sanitation, clean out-door air…(e.g. Children’s Environment & Health Action Plan for Europe) 3. Health care • Indicator on life satisfaction very welcome! • Over focus on negative indicators 5. Child protection and social services • Most vulnerable groups of children – fall outside household surveys • One very important aspect when discussing child poverty is ability to afford out of school activities and hobbies (neglected here) • Reconciling work and family life (Disappointing that data on reconciliation measures/ leave arrangements are not included – could look at OECD Family Database)

11. The monitoring framework (3) ACTIVE PARTICIPATION& INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE • Children’s right • to be heard 2. Participation in social, recreational, cultural, sporting and civic activities - Whilst we recognize it is difficult to monitor, surveys do exist and this should be an area of further exploration - More data on children’s participation are needed. The indicators developed in the field of youth could provide some useful inspiration • One very important aspect when discussing child poverty is ability to afford out of school activities and hobbies (neglected here) • Reconciling work and family life (Disappointing that data on reconciliation measures/ leave arrangements are not included – could look at OECD Family Database)

12. Therole of civil society network in bridging research, policy & practice Research Practice Advocacy activists influencing policy Children & young people groups KEY MESSAGE: Indicators experts/ researchers need to have the partnership with practitioners and child rights advocates. This link will make research more relevant & useful.