Increasing EU political commitment?

• Author: Applica, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission), Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
• Pages: 13-14

Report on the online consultation

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3.4 Summary

In sum, the main barriers to accessing ser vices identified differ according to the nature of

the disadvantag e experienced by chi ldren. For children living in p recarious fami ly

situations, they relate to the non-availability of services in the local area, a lack of

awareness of what is available and problems of affordability. In addition, they include

discrimination and cultural obstacles in respect of access to education and non-eli gibility

for support in respect of access to decent housing.

For children of migrants or refugees, the main barriers relate to discrimination and cultural

obstacle as well as insufficient information about the services available and , for ECEC and

housing, the problem of affordability. Their residence status also represents a general

problem in many cases as it affect their access to many services.

For children with disabilities, the main barriers i dentified are problems of physical access,

the non-adaptation of services and fa cilities to children’s needs and simpl y their non-

availability in many cases. Discrimin ation was also cited by many in respect of education

and problems of affordability in respect of housing.

The barriers identified are to a large extent common across countries, bu t there are some

differences, which in some degree seem to be related to the level of deprivation am ong

children.

4 Increasing EU political commitment?

This section of the ques tionnaire includes three questions on the p olitical commitment of

the EU towards disadvantaged children.

An overwhelming majority of respondents ( 89%) consider that the EU should certainly do

more to improve access for vulnerable children to essential services or social rights

(specifically, healthcare, education, ECEC, nutrition and housing). Only 2% think that the

EU has no role to play in this, while 4% do not kn ow (Figure 5). Most of those against the

EU doing more are consultants and researchers while most of those replying that they do

not know are from national and regi onal authorities (including Managing Authorities of EU

Cohesion policy programmes).

Figure 5. Do you think the EU should do more to improve access for vul nerable

children to some/all of the five key social rights? (%)

The questionnaire also asked whether or not the implementation of the 2013 EU

Recommendation on Investing in children and of the European Pill ar of Social Rights must

be a high political priority at EU level. Almost all the respondents (93%) agree that it should