Over the past months, EASPD has actively advocated alongside the Alliance for Investing in Children to place the fight against child and family poverty at the heart of the EU Social Package, with a particular focus on the Strengthened Child Guarantee and the European Anti-Poverty Strategy. As part of this advocacy, the Alliance called for stronger investment in prevention, family support and early childhood intervention services, recognising their crucial role in promoting inclusion from an early age and preventing the institutionalisation of children.  

As part of this advocacy, the Alliance called for stronger investment in prevention, family support and early childhood intervention services, recognising their crucial role in promoting inclusion from an early age and preventing the institutionalisation of children.

Following the publication of the Social Package, the Alliance issued a joint statement.  

The Alliance welcomed the Package’s focus on prevention, family and integrated support services, outreach to the most vulnerable children and their families and efforts to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and social exclusion.

At the same time, it highlighted several remaining concerns. These include the continued underfunding of the European Child Guarantee, with the Alliance calling for a dedicated €20 billion budget and stronger ESF+ allocations. The statement also points to the limited involvement of civil society organisations, insufficient participation of children and parents in decision-making processes, gaps in access to essential services outside school settings and concerns regarding implementation at Member State level.

EASPD and the Alliance will continue to monitor developments and advocate for the effective implementation of the initiatives included in the Social Package, notably through securing dedicated funding in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).