Brief presentation of the eight case studies

• Author: Applica, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission), Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
• Pages: 4-6

Case studies on the effectiveness of funding programmes – Key findings and study reports

4

Introduction

Following the call in 2015 from the European Parliament to introduce a Child Guarantee

and the subsequent request to the European Commi ssion in 2017 to implement a

Preparatory Action to explore its potential scope, th e Commission launched a feasibility

study in 2018 to examine and make proposals as to how a specific programme could best

be developed i n order to en sure that the EU’s most disadvantaged chil dren1 have access

to five key social rights: adequate nutrition, free education, free healthcare, decent housing

and free early childhood education and care.

This Feasibility Study for a Child Guarantee (FSCG) has been commissioned as a key part

of t he Preparatory Action agreed between the European Commission and the European

Parliament. It is managed by a consortium consisting of Applica and the Luxembourg

Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), in collaboration with Eurochild and Save the

Children, and with the support of nine thematic experts, 28 national experts and an

independent study editor.

In addition to several analytical documents prepared in the context of the feasibility study,

eight cases studies have been carried out to learn how specific international (EU and/or

non-EU) funding programmes can stimulate the development and roll-out of in terventions

to help vulnerable children, and how they might leverage increased national (or sub-

national) funding to support these children.

The case studies were aimed at identi fying factors which increase the effectiveness of

funding programmes as well as weaknesses in their design, implementation and monitoring

that could limit their effects. Guidelines were prepared by the FSCG core team for the

purpose. The experts involved were invited to conduct their analysis on the basis of existing

research reports, evaluations of th e programme in question and other relevant material.

They were asked to consult with the people responsible for developing and monitoring the

programme and other relevant stakeholders.

This document presents the main findings from the eight case studies together wi th the

eight study reports. Section 1 provides a brief presentation of the eight case studies.

Section 2 presents a short evaluation of strengths and weaknesses o f the funding

programmes involved. Section 3 concludes. The eight study reports are provided in annex.

1 Brief presentation of the eight case studies

The case studies were selected to cover various kinds of funding programme and different

EU Member States and different groups of disadvantaged children .

• EEA Grants 2009-2014, Children and Youth at Risk programmes in

Estonia, Lithuania and Romania (Alex Stimpson): this case study focused on

three programmes funded under the EEA Gra nts which focused p rimarily on

children and young peopl e in precarious family situations and in, or at risk of

being, in institutions. Their aim was to enhance the quality of children’s welfare

and protection systems and/or to improve school attendance and access to

preschool day-care, health and social care.

• The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) in Germany

(Isabel Naylon, Metis): this case study summarised the outcomes of FEAD

activities in Germany i n helping recently arrived people and their families. Th e

projects under review were aimed at improving access to parental support for

parents of migrant children of pre-school age, as well as access of the children

themselves to early education and social inclusion opportunities.

• Integrating refugee a nd migrant children into the education system in

Greece (Dimitris Ziomas, Antoinetta Capella and Danai Konstantinidou,

1 These disadvantaged children include children living in precarious f amily situations, children residing in

institutions, children with a migrant background (including refugee children) and children with disabilities.