Eurochild continues its work to influence better data systems for children in alternative care
Eurochild launches second phase of its DataCare project in four countries – France, Ireland, Portugal and Romania
With the beginning of 2022, so too begins a new chapter in Eurochild’s DataCare project, with continued funding and support from UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO). Together, we are working to influence how Member States and the EU will monitor the new European Child Guarantee - utilising our final findings from the project.
Despite differing national definitions and categorisations of alternative care across the region, enough data are being published at national level that can be used at an aggregate level to establish comparable indicators on children in residential care and three other relevant and interlinked indicators:
The proportion of children placed in residential care compared to those placed in formal family-based care provides a useful indicator to monitor progress towards a shared goal: to ensure that children in alternative care receive high quality, inclusive, family and community-based care.
If implemented across the EU, this indicator can shed light on the effectiveness of the deinstitutionalisation reforms that are taking place in many European countries, including under the European Child Guarantee.
For this reason, we are now engaging with EU and Member States to include our proposed indicators on children in alternative care into the National Action Plans & the EU monitoring framework for the European Child Guarantee.
This work has already begun. For example,
In France, we have shared our findings with the Secretary of State for Child Protection Adrien Taquet and the statistical authority DREES;
In Ireland, our DataCare indicators have been featured in Ireland’s newly updated National Indicator Set for Children and Young People, and discussions are ongoing with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
In Portugal, we presented our final findings at the 6th International Conference on Childhood and Adolescence session on: “Deinstitutionalisation of children and young people in Europe – the state of the art 2022”. The session was chaired by Marta Santos Pais, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children and Eurochild Honorary Member
In Romania, we will work to support the National Authority for the Rights of People with Disabilities, Children and Adoptions, who has direct responsibility for drafting the National Action Plan within the Government of Romania.
Our advocacy work will continue throughout the year. As part of this work, we wish to share our findings and materials with any Eurochild members and allies who wish to advocate for the prioritisation of children in alternative care within the Child Guarantee National Action Plans.
Contact the Secretariat – Zuzana Konradova and Ciaran O’Donnell for more information.
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