The 2017 EC Recommendation on the European
Pillar of Social Rights has the objective of
strengthening Europe’s social dimension. In
its Social Protection and Inclusion Chapter,
mention is made of the rights for all children
to benefit from good quality early childhood
education and care, as well as protection
from poverty, including specific measures
for disadvantaged children to enhance equal
opportunities.
The EC Communication on the Protection of
Children in Migration, also adopted in 2017,
provides a framework and recommendations
to ensure the protection of children in
migration and to provide adequate reception
conditions. It is based on the key principles
of the best interests of the child and of a
non-discriminatory approach as a basis for
all actions concerning migrant and refugee
children.
The Common European Asylum System
sets out common standards among EU
Member States to ensure shared, fair and
effective asylum procedures across the EU.
The treatment of asylum seekers, including
children, is the subject matter of the Reception
Conditions Directive, currently under revision.
The proposal states that the best interests
of the child, should be taken into primary
consideration in the implementation of the
Directive.
The Council of Europe has a comprehensive
strategy to promote the rights of the child
across the continent: spanning the 2016-2021
time frame, it mentions poverty, inequality
and exclusion and migration as key challenges
affecting children in Europe today; and in
its priority areas “equal opportunities for all
children” and “a life free from violence for all
children”, it addresses the rights of children on
the move or otherwise affected by migration
as deserving protection and promotion by
various Council of Europe bodies. The role
of adequately trained care professionals is
underlined as crucial in ensuring a child-rights
based approach in all forms of alternative care.
The Council of Europe also adopted a specific
Action Plan on Protecting Refugee and Migrant
Children in Europe (2017-2019). It provides
guidance to ensure a ccess to rights and child-
friendly procedures, to provide effective
protection, and to enhance the integration of
children who seek international protection in
Europe.
A detailed description of all these legislative and
policy documents is included as an annex (see
annex 2).
We hope that the practice examples illustrated in the
case studies will provide inspiration and guidance on how
the child rights framework can be brought to life for all
children in Europe, no matter where they come from.
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