COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Breaking the cycle of child poverty - strengthening the European Child Guarantee
Date: 2026-05-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: aid to disadvantaged groups, child, child protection, children's rights, marginalisation, poverty, social inequality, social integration, social rights, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 6.5.2026  COM(2026) 539 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Breaking the cycle of child poverty - strengthening the European Child Guarantee {SWD(2026) 772 final}  
 
 
Child poverty in the EU remains persistently high. Progress towards the 2030 objective of reducing 
the number of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 5 million has stalled. Nearly one 
in four children faces such risks (1). At the same time, the rising cost of living continues to put pressure 
on  family  budgets.  Child  poverty  is  not  only  a  question  of  disposable  income;  it  also  encompasses 
whether  children’s  basic  needs,  such  as  food  or  housing,  are  met,  and  whether  they  have  access  to 
essential  services  for  their  wellbeing  and  development  (education,  healthcare,  extra-curricular 
activities). 

The consequences of growing up in poverty are severe and  long-lasting – it nearly doubles the 
likelihood (2) of poverty in adulthood. Children in poverty may face obstacles such as limited access 
to adequate nutrition (3), healthcare, or adequate housing, as well as heightened exposure to violence 
and  online  risks.  These  disadvantages  undermine  children’s  rights,  overall  wellbeing,  educational 
attainment and participation in society, and curtail future life and employment prospects. Child poverty 
also has a territorial dimension - regional and territorial disparities persist, unveiling stark differences 
behind national averages. 

Bold actions and robust investments are needed without delay. The cost of inaction is high: child 
disadvantages and their lifelong effects are estimated to cost Europe 3.4% of GDP (4) each year. In 
contrast, investing in children from the earliest age onward yields a high rate of positive returns (5) for 
the children and their future development, and for our economy, social cohesion and democracy. Given 
tight budgetary constraints, it is therefore essential to assess and, where needed, rebalance how social 
and  public  spending  is  allocated  across  age  groups  in  order  to  reduce  child  poverty  and  promote 
intergenerational fairness. 

The EU and Member States are implementing policies to combat child poverty, also supported by 
EU  funding. A  cornerstone  policy  tool  is  the  European  Child  Guarantee  (6).  The  Guarantee  has 
improved access to services for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Since its adoption, the 
Guarantee has delivered important gains: early childhood education and care (ECEC) participation 
among children in poverty has risen by 2 percentage points; at least seven Member States have expanded 
school  meal programmes; and  850,000  more  children,  80%  of  them  at  risk of  poverty,  have  gained 
access to school-based activities. These gains need to be scaled up by dismantling remaining access 
barriers in each of these areas. 

Yet, it cannot alone lead to exit from poverty. Many gaps in implementation persist, especially in the 
outreach to the most vulnerable and the integration of (individual) services into broader coherent 
and consistent support systems which address the root causes of child poverty and are able to bring 
these children out of their vulnerable situation. Insufficient funding available for and invested in the 
Guarantee also limits the positive impact of these measures.  

(1) In 2025, 19.3 million children were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, representing 24.3% of children. Since 
2019, the number of children facing such risk remained broadly stable. The European Pillar of Social Rights 
Action Plan set the target to reduce by at least 15 million the number of people at risk of poverty or social 
exclusion.  

(2) Intergenerational transmission of disadvantages - statistics. 
(3) For example, food banks across the EU, once seen as emergency responders, are experiencing unprecedented 
demand, and becoming regular sources of support for an increasing number of working families. They report 
a surge in new users, including people who have never previously needed help and young adults.  
(4) The economic costs of childhood socio-economic disadvantage in European OECD countries | OECD. 
(5) Staff Working Document accompanying this Communication – SWD (2026) 772. 
(6) The objective of the  European Child Guarantee  is to prevent and combat social  exclusion by guaranteeing 
effective  access  of  children  in  need  to  a  set  of key  services:  free  early  childhood  education  and  care; free 
education (including school-based activities and at least one healthy meal each school day); free healthcare; 
healthy nutrition; adequate housing.  

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This Communication looks at the causes specific to child poverty, and the policy responses in place 
–  what  worked  and  what  did  not  in  the  current  policy  setting,  how  can  the  European  Child 
Guarantee be strengthened and what other policy measures can be taken at EU level to surpass 
the child poverty trap that persists today. To achieve this, the Communication builds on three pillars:  

The first pillar focuses on the support given to the households in which children in need live. Securing 
households’ access to adequate resources requires, first and foremost, removing barriers which hinder 
adult members of the households to access quality jobs and quality services, as well as ensuring robust 
social safety nets that prevent deprivation when earnings fall short.  

The second pillar looks at the European Child Guarantee. This is the central tool implemented 
throughout the EU to provide access to services for children in need. Access to essential services 
gives children in need a fair start in life, reducing the likelihood of poverty in adulthood. The European 
Child Guarantee has delivered progress in combating and preventing child poverty, but there is room 
for doing more and better. Its implementation must be strengthened. Its scope must take into account 
emerging  challenges,  linked  for  example  to  mental  health  pressures  facing  children  and  online  and 
offline threats to their security and wellbeing. Stronger outreach to children in need, accompanied by 
mentoring, is needed to ensure that no child falls through the cracks of fragmented systems. In addition, 
continuity of support from childhood into early adulthood is essential to pave the way towards a 
secure transition into adult life.  

The third pillar of this Communication addresses governance, monitoring and funding, crucial 
to increase the impact of actions tackling child poverty across the EU. Delivery needs to be stepped 
up decisively. The EU and the Member States must mobilise all available funding to ensure that the 
cost-of-living pressures do not drive more families with children into poverty, and that those in need 
today are urgently helped. These investments must be sustained over the long term; one-off and siloed 
projects will not bring lasting impacts. This calls for a stronger governance at all levels and robust 
monitoring to allow for timely policy reaction at the right place at the right time.  

The  Staff  Working  Document  accompanying  this  Communication  provides  an  analysis  of  the 
implementation of the European Child Guarantee so far (7). 

1.  PREVENTING AND REDUCING POVERTY AMONG FAMILIES  

Immediate actions are required to help vulnerable households meet the needs of their children. 
Broad affordability challenges, such as housing costs, are addressed in the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy (8) 
and the proposal for a Council Recommendation on fighting housing exclusion (9). This chapter looks 
at complementary additional measures. 

Supporting parents’ access to employment  

Quality  employment  is  the  most  effective  pathway  out  of  poverty.  Stable,  well-paid  jobs 
significantly reduce risks of poverty and precariousness: if employment rates were to reach the national 
targets (10) set by Member States, around 1.7 million children could be lifted out of poverty (11). Yet, for 
many low-income parents, particularly mothers, access to jobs is hindered by barriers linked to care 

(7) Staff Working Document accompanying this Communication – SWD (2026) 772. 
(8)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the European Union's Anti-Poverty Strategy – COM 
(2026) 538. 

(9) Proposal for a Council Recommendation on fighting housing exclusion – COM(2026) 540. 
(10) EU 2030 national targets. 
(11) JRC Publications Repository - Reducing AROPE in the EU: combining minimum income, minimum wages, 

and employment expansion. 

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responsibilities, limiting their ability to take up employment, work sufficient hours, or progress in their 
careers. While the EU Work-Life Balance Directive (12) has taken important steps to support parents in 
striking the balance between care and work responsibilities, significant gaps remain.  

One  of  the  barriers  to  activation  and  higher  employment  of  parents  refers  to  the  lack  of  or 
insufficient  access  to  early  childhood  education  and  care  (ECEC).  Today,  75%  of  mothers  with 
young  children  still  cite  family  and  care  obligations  as  the  primary  reason  for  not  being  able  to 
participate in the labour market (13). Higher ECEC participation can increase parents’ employment by 
up to 10 percentage points (14). There is evidence that in the longer run, children at risk of poverty or 
social exclusion who attend ECEC perform better academically, are in better health and have stronger 
employment prospects. The EU already promotes the expansion of ECEC, and related targets have been 
set (15). 

A key remaining barrier to higher employment participation of parents is the so-called ‘childcare 
gap’. For ECEC to be effective, it needs to be accessible, affordable and of sufficient quality. In terms 
of accessibility, not only do places need to be available, but other factors play a role as well – including 
the minimum age at which children can be enrolled in ECEC. The childcare gap refers to the period 
between the end of family-related leave and the point at which children can effectively access ECEC or 
compulsory schooling. In some Member States, this gap can last several years, leaving families without 
reliable  childcare  and  limiting  parents’  ability  to  take  up  or  remain  in  employment.  Only  a  limited 
number of Member States (16) ensure seamless coverage. Closing this gap, with a particular focus on 
the  participation  of  vulnerable  children,  and  addressing  territorial  disparities,  should  therefore  be  a 
priority.  

In this respect, as announced in the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy and in line with Article 154 (2) TFEU, 
the Commission will launch the first stage consultation of European social partners to obtain their views 
on  the  possible  direction  of  EU  action  to  support  the  activation  of  persons  excluded  from  the 
labour market, including through access to childcare.  

Supporting  parents’  employment  goes  however  beyond  ECEC.  Member  States  should  also 
implement  measures  to  provide  flexible,  family-friendly  work  arrangements  (e.g.  remote  work, 
predictable hours) and ensure that work pays, by tackling the specific disincentives parents face when 
entering,  remaining  or  progressing  in  the  labour  market,  including  those  related  to  the  design  and 
interaction of tax and benefits systems.  

Robust safety nets for households with children at risk of poverty 

Combining  employment  support  with  strong  safety  nets  is  essential  to  lift  households  with 
children out of poverty and prevent them from deprivation. Income and in-kind support play a key 

(12) Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance 

for parents and carers. 

(13) Employment and social developments in Europe 2025 - Publications Office of the EU. 
(14)  JRC  Publications  Repository  -  The  impact  of  alternative  childcare  policies  on  mothers'  employment  for 

selected EU countries. 

(15) The target established in the European Education Area aims for at least 96 % of children aged between 3 and 
the compulsory primary school age to participate in ECEC by 2030. The 2022 Council Recommendation on 
the revised Barcelona targets for 2030 added that at least 45 % of children below the age of three should attend 
ECEC by 2030 (with derogations for Member States with particularly low participation rates) and that there 
should be no participation gap in ECEC between children at risk of poverty or social exclusion and the overall 
population of children. 

(16) Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Slovenia, and Sweden according to European Commission: European 
Education and Culture Executive Agency, Motiejūnaitė-Schulmeister, A., De Coster, I. and Noorani, S., Key 
data on early childhood education and care in Europe 2025 – Eurydice report, Birch, P.(editor), Publications 
Office of the European Union, 2025. 

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role to ensure families can meet their basic needs when earnings are insufficient or unstable. Among 
these, in-cash benefits play a critical role (such as child allowances, child tax credits or income top-ups 
for households with children). These benefits must be used in the benefit of children and should lead to 
an improvement in their welfare, and support parents’ integration into the labour market. All Member 
States  provide  some  form  of  child  or  family  benefits. These  transfers  reduce  child  poverty  by  10.6 
percentage points on average in the EU, also helping to cover essential costs and mitigate the impact of 
economic shocks. Effective implementation and close monitoring by the Member States, also to avoid 
fraud and detect potential misuse of child benefits for other objectives than their aims is key, so to ensure 
the strongest positive impact. 

The poverty-reducing impact of these benefits varies significantly across Member States, ranging 
from 4 to 16 percentage points. This reflects differences in how benefits are targeted, their adequacy, 
and overall design. In 10 Member States, the poorest families with children receive less in absolute 
terms than wealthier households, often due to regressive benefit structures, or non-take-up, which can 
reach up to 30% (17). Good practices include a more integrated design of benefits, automatic granting 
of  benefits  to  reduce  administrative  barriers,  as  well  as  dedicated  vouchers  for  specific  goods  and 
services, to avoid misuse and guarantee that benefits directly address children’s needs. To enhance their 
impact, the Commission will actively support Member States in reforming their child benefit systems.  

The  Commission  will  adopt  a  Commission  Recommendation  on  Guidance  for  enhancing  the 
efficiency of child-related benefit systems in addressing child poverty, with a particular focus on 
their adequacy, coverage, use and take-up. Ways to ensure that benefits are used efficiently to meet the 
needs of the children they are intended for will also be addressed to maximise impact on their wellbeing.  

Robust safety nets extend beyond income support. Effective poverty prevention also requires broader 
family assistance, including debt counselling, peer-to-peer support and financial advisory services. To 
ensure a stronger impact, Member States should provide key complementary services, such as parenting 
support,  encompassing  resources,  guidance  and  assistance  aimed  at  helping  parents  foster 
their children’s wellbeing and development.  

2.  STRENGTHENING THE IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN CHILD GUARANTEE 

The European Child Guarantee covers the core services that any child needs to be able to grow, 
regardless  of  the  vulnerability  of  their  household  –  including  housing,  food,  education,  care. 
However, with new challenges emerging, the Guarantee alone, and in its current shape, cannot tackle 
all  drivers  of  poverty  and  their implications.  First,  the  services  and measures  included  under  the 
European  Child  Guarantee  differ  considerably  in  scope  and  implementation,  with  some  easier  to 
implement  than  others.  For  example,  ensuring  access  to  healthy  and  nutritious  school  meals  is  a 
relatively  straightforward  measure,  which  often  relies  on  an  implementation  framework  based  on 
procurement of food for schools. On the other hand, ensuring access to early childhood education and 
care, especially in the youngest age, requires for certain Member States significantly more complex 
reforms and larger investments.  

Second, one-off interventions alone are unlikely to lead to a permanent change in the situation of the 
children  in  need,  without  policy  measures  connected  and  well-coordinated,  and  without  ensuring  a 
sustainable  implementation  in  time.  A  stronger,  more  integrated  policy  framework,  where  the 
evolution of every child in need who benefits from the Guarantee can be tracked, is essential to improve 
results and impact. Third, since the Guarantee was adopted in 2021, new challenges for children have 
emerged, such as mental health pressures or higher risk of abuses and exposure to violence online and 
offline, pointing to the need of a strengthened framework at EU level to address these concerns.   

Finally, the connection between the European Child Guarantee and broader policies is needed to ensure 
that teenagers and young adults, where possible, make a successful transition to the labour market. The 

(17) Staff Working Document accompanying this Communication – SWD (2026) 772. 

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goal  is  to  empower  them  to  secure  stable  employment  and  build  an  autonomous,  dignified  life. 
Addressing  this  transition  effectively  is  central  to  breaking  the  intergenerational  transmission  of 
poverty.  These  challenges  demand  actions  extending  beyond  the  scope  of  the  European  Child 
Guarantee, closely coordinated with it, to ensure child-centred protection and support, in due respect of 
children’s rights.  

Scaling up access to services 

The European Child Guarantee has been a catalyst for change, mobilised by Member States to 
improve access for children in need to key services and goods.  

As regards ECEC, children in poverty still face a 15-percentage-point enrolment gap compared to their 
peers. Bridging it requires Member States to invest in ECEC capacity and workforce qualifications and 
reach  out  to  marginalised  families.  The  Commission  will  support  these  efforts  through  a  Horizon 
Europe call for innovative solutions in ECEC (18) and present the Guidelines for curriculum and 
pedagogical development in ECEC.  

While expansions of school meals have improved food security, over 1 million children in the EU still 
lack daily access to fresh fruit and vegetables. The Commission will promote provision of school meals 
for children in need, working together with the School Meal Coalition19, through mutual learning and 
technical assistance. It will also leverage the EU School Fruit, Vegetables and Milk Scheme and the 
ESF+ to extend quality nutrition support, under the new Multiannual Financial Framework.   

Besides access to meals, healthy development also entails access to extra-curricular activities. As 
many  as  22.7%  of  children  in  poverty  remain  excluded  from  regular  extra-curricular  activities 
(compared to just 2.9% of their advantaged peers), often due to costs, transport barriers, or cultural 
stereotypes.  Addressing  this  issue  requires  targeted  investments  and  partnerships,  which  the 
Commission aims to support with a dedicated ESF+ call for projects using culture and sport as tools 
for  social  inclusion. The  update  to  the  Council  Recommendation  on  health  enhancing  physical 
activity can also address the role of physical activity in social inclusion polices. 

While individual services covered by the Guarantee continue to expand, a more integrated response 
is  needed  to  address  barriers  that  hinder  equality  of  opportunity  for  children,  particularly  in 
education. According to the latest PISA figures, 28.8% of disadvantaged children (20) underachieve in 
reading, maths and science, compared to just 4.7% of their more advantaged peers  – a gap that has 
widened  since the  COVID  pandemic.  Scaling up  access to  ECEC,  school meals  and extracurricular 
activities has a proven positive impact on cognitive development, school engagement and academic 
achievement. Closing the achievement gap, however, demands a broader response that goes beyond 
service  delivery.  Member  States  should  therefore  implement  comprehensive  educational  support  to 
children  in  need,  including  homework  assistance,  targeted  tutoring  and  individualised  learning 
programmes, to ensure children in poverty receive help genuinely adapted to each child’s needs and 
circumstances.  

Equally urgent is an integrated response to mental health pressures, disproportionately affecting 
children in poverty. Since 2021, the share of children in poverty reporting ‘very good health’ has fallen 
by 5 percentage points, with mental health deteriorating fastest among the most vulnerable. Symptoms 
of depression and loneliness are rising. While an EU-wide inquiry will shed light on the impacts of 
social media and excessive screen times on these trends, addressing them already demands action on 
multiple  fronts:  preventive  care,  early  intervention  and  cross-sectoral  collaboration.  Member  States 
should also address shortages of specialised mental health staff and out-of-pocket costs for families in 

(18)  Horizon  call  “Tackling  child  poverty  and  ensuring  disadvantaged  children's  access  to  Early  Childhood 

Education and Care”.  

(19) https://schoolmealscoalition.org/. 
(20) ECG monitoring framework. 

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need,  and  strengthen  outreach  through  closer  cooperation  between  schools,  social  workers  and 
healthcare providers. To foster these efforts, the Commission supports UNICEF in piloting  a Toolkit 
for child and adolescent health and mental wellbeing promotion, with a specific emphasis on access 
of  most  vulnerable  children.  The  Commission  will  assist  Member  States  and  local  authorities  in 
implementing the Toolkit through mutual learning and dedicated workshops.  

Strengthening implementation to ensure well targeted and impactful support until early 
adulthood    

To  ensure  the  European  Child  Guarantee  translates  into  lasting  change,  its  implementation  must 
evolve from fragmented service delivery to a cohesive, child-centred system that wraps tailored 
support  around  every  child  in  need,  from  early  childhood  through  the  critical  transition  to 
adulthood. This requires three main shifts: first, individualised support and mentorship to address the 
unique barriers each child faces; second, new digital solutions to cut through bureaucratic silos and 
ensure  children  can  easily benefit  from  support; and third,  extended  pathways  into  early  adulthood, 
preventing  vulnerable  young  people  from  falling  through  gaps  between  child  and  youth  support 
schemes.  

Children in need require integrated, individualised support. Input from children consulted under 
the  EU  Children’s  Participation  Platform  (21)  highlighted  what makes  a  difference:  having  a trusted 
adult – a parent, a teacher, a social worker, or a community leader - who can provide stability, emotional 
support,  encouragement  and  practical  advice,  and  detect  signs  of  distress. This  is  especially  crucial 
when such stability is missing at home. To ensure each child in need can build a path out of poverty, 
mentorship programmes and counselling interventions should be expanded to guide children in need 
through challenging moments of their life.  

The Commission will support the expansion of mentorship programmes for vulnerable children 
through closer links between schools, social workers and local community actors. This will also be an 
integral part of the upcoming Teachers’ Agenda. In addition, the Commission will work jointly with 
the European Committee of the Regions, by means of a Joint Action Plan, to enable, among others, the 
local authorities to ensure that each child in need receives such tailored counselling. 

Attention needs to be given to children facing intersecting forms of disadvantage. For children 
with disabilities, this aligns with the Communication on enhancing the strategy for the rights of persons 
with disabilities up to 2030. All categories of children in need will be considered, including those in 
alternative care. Regarding Roma children, for whom poverty, discrimination and segregation too often 
limit effective access to services, the Commission will prepare, together with stakeholders, a Guidance 
focused  on  integrated  measures  bringing  together  outreach,  mediation,  inclusive  education, 
family support and community-based interventions. More than 700,000 children are in alternative 
care in the EU, with nearly 40% of these children, notably with disabilities, remaining in residential 
institutions.  For  young  people  leaving  alternative  care,  homeless  children  and  families  with 
children  in  precarious  housing  situations,  the  proposed  Council  recommendation  on  fighting 
housing exclusion will support preventive and integrated responses, including during the transition to 
adulthood.  

Children in need and their parents struggle too often to navigate the systems designed to help 
them.  This  reflects  fragmented  delivery  systems,  with  responsibilities  spread  across  different 
authorities,  levels  of  government  and  service  providers,  operating  through  separate  procedures  and 
access  points.  In  practice,  families  often  need  to  navigate  multiple  systems  to  understand  their 

(21) Children's Voices on Poverty and Social Inclusion. 

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entitlements, identify the competent authority and activate access to the support (22). 

The  digital  transformation  of  public  services  creates  new  opportunities  to  address  these 
challenges.  The  European  Digital  Identity  framework  offers  secure,  interoperable  and  privacy-
preserving tools to facilitate more efficient and impactful policy implementation. These can allow 
relevant information to be verified and shared, while ensuring that accessible non-digital alternatives 
remain available where necessary. Digitalisation should be designed around the needs of children and 
families, with appropriate safeguards for children’s rights, personal data protection, non-discrimination, 
accessibility  and  the  prevention  of  stigmatisation  and  digital  exclusion.  Some  Member  States  have 
already taken steps to place innovative solutions around this matter. 

The Commission will put forward a pilot programme to test and develop a new digital framework for a 
European Child Guarantee Card. The Card will have the objective to facilitate access to services and 
a coherent support for children in need, while maintaining the EU’s rigorous safeguards for children’s 
rights, personal data protection, non-discrimination and accessibility standards. The pilot will build on 
the European Digital Identity Wallet, as a first step towards a practical tool to improve delivery and 
coordination between relevant different entitlements, facilitate access and use of support services by 
children  in  need,  increase  visibility  and  improve  transparency  and  monitoring  by  the  competent 
authorities. The pilot marks an important step in strengthening Europe’s innovation and simplification-
friendly digital environment, with the goal of helping relevant authorities, service providers and local 
support  professionals  to  design  and  test  this  type  of  digital  solutions,  ensuring  that  support  reaches 
children in need in a timely, accessible, inclusive and non-stigmatising manner. As part of the pilot, 
Member  States  that  would  test  (23)  the  design  of  these  systems  will  benefit  from  enhanced  support 
through technical assistance.  

Comprehensive and individualised support, where needed, cannot stop with the end of childhood. 
Children growing up in poverty often face elevated risks at the threshold of adulthood: early school 
leaving, becoming NEETs (not in education, employment or training) and falling through the cracks of 
fragmented  education,  employment  and  social  services.  Such  risks  are  reinforced  by  labour  market 
structural developments and growing economic uncertainty, which make bridging the gap between child 
and  youth  support  systems  essential.  In  recent  years,  vulnerable  youth  have  also  increasingly  been 
targeted by organised crime and terrorism, with almost one third of terrorist suspects in the EU under 
the age of 20 in 2024 (24).  

It is important  to  ensure  that  every  child in  need receives the  necessary accompanying  measures  to 
transition into empowered adults, capable of earning their living and living a decent life. This requires 
earlier  identification  of  those  at  risk,  stronger  coordination  between  services,  and  seamless  referral 
mechanisms across education, employment and social protection services. At the EU level, programmes 
such as Erasmus+ contribute to supporting vulnerable young people by facilitating access to inclusive 
learning experiences. The Youth Guarantee provides support to NEETs accessing further education or 
the labour market. 

Stronger  synergies  between  the  European  Child  Guarantee  and  the Youth  Guarantee  will  be 
drawn to ensure a better continuity of support for children in need, from childhood to early adulthood, 
until  they  are  settled  in  independent  life. While  the  European  Child  Guarantee  focuses  on  ensuring 
access to key services for children in need up to the age of 18, the Youth Guarantee aims to support 
young  people  aged  15–29,  including  NEETs,  with  a  good  quality  offer  of  employment,  education, 

(22) According to some estimates, as many as one third of families and children (and even more in some other 
instances) do not take up essential support such as childcare, educational assistance, healthcare services and 
income support they are entitled to. Accompanying SWD (2026) 772. 

(23) Member States will test the card on a voluntary basis. 
(24) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ProtectEU: Agenda to prevent and counter terrorism -
COM/2026/101 final. 

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traineeship  or  apprenticeship  within  a  period  of  four  months  of  becoming  unemployed  or  leaving 
education. However, the reach of these instruments remains uneven: coverage gaps persist, in particular 
for  young  people  facing  multiple  disadvantages,  and  administrative  fragmentation  between  national 
services and across levels of governance continues to limit their effectiveness. 

The Commission will develop a Toolkit to help Member States strengthen the links between the 
European  Child  Guarantee  and  the  Youth  Guarantee,  with  a  view  to  ensuring  individualised, 
continuous support from childhood into early adulthood. It will set out practical ways for Member States 
to use EU funding, mentoring, outreach and other support measures, and to develop integrated pathways 
for children and young people in need. These pathways should support their transition into education, 
training or employment, while reducing the risk of disengagement and falling into a NEET situation.  

In addition, to showcase this approach, the Commission will further help Member States to address 
disadvantages  experienced  by  young  Roma  people  while  entering  the  labour  market  within  a 
dedicated ESF+ call for projects. 

Protecting vulnerable children from increased threats to safety 

The  safety  of  children,  both  online  and  offline,  has  come  under  increasing  threat, 
disproportionately  affecting  vulnerable  children.  While  comprehensively  addressing  such  threat 
goes  beyond  the  scope  of  the  sole  European  Child  Guarantee  Council  Recommendation,  its 
implementation  needs  to  be  closely  aligned  with the ambitious initiatives  which  the  Commission is 
putting forward to protect each child in need. It is necessary to address these threats. 

The  digital  world  plays  an  increasingly  central  role  in  children’s  lives.  It  shapes  their  learning, 
interactions  and  future  opportunities.  However,  children  from  disadvantaged  backgrounds  are  more 
exposed to a digital divide (25): they are less likely to have the skills, resources, or support needed to 
navigate  online  environments  safely  and  to  benefit  from  their  opportunities.  They  are  also 
disproportionately exposed to online risks, including cyberbullying, harmful content and manipulative 
digital practices, radicalisation and child sexual abuse.  

The Commission is already responding with a comprehensive toolbox for child safety. At its core are 
the  Digital  Services Act  and  its  guidelines  on  the  protection  of  minors  that  require  all  platforms 
accessible to minors to ensure for them a high level of privacy, safety, and security. The implementation 
and enforcement of the Digital Services Act provide a key opportunity to improve the safety of children 
on  online  platforms,  including  through  stronger  measures  to  protect  minors,  risk  assessment  and 
mitigation measures and measures to comply with transparency and other obligations. Furthermore, the 
Commission has put forward proposals to strengthen the criminal law framework on child sexual abuse 
and to clarify the responsibilities of online service providers. 

This framework is complemented by the Action Plan against Cyberbullying, focusing on children and 
young  people,  including  vulnerable  children.  While  some  Member  States  have  begun  rolling  out 
programmes under the European Child Guarantee to improve digital literacy and access to digital tools 
for  children  in  need,  these  efforts  remain  uneven  and  fall  short  of  delivering  the  systemic  change 
required. To provide a strong response, the Commission will put forward ambitious legal proposals.  

The forthcoming Digital Fairness Act will contribute to the online protection of children, as it intends 
to  address,  from  a  consumer  protection  perspective,  unfair  commercial  practices,  including  dark 
patterns,  unfair  influencer marketing,  and  addictive  design features  that  encourage  excessive  screen 
time and spending.  

The  upcoming  revision  of  the Audiovisual  Media  Services  Directive  will  also  provide  enhanced 
protections  for  younger  viewers,  when  accessing  audiovisual  content  online,  alongside  the  Better 

(25) How's Life for Children in the Digital Age? | OECD. 

8 

 
 
 
Internet  for  Kids  strategy,  which  aims  to  ensure  a  safer,  age-appropriate  and  empowering  digital 
environment  for  children  across  the  European  Union.  Based  on  the  recommendation  of  the  special 
panel on child safety online and social media age restrictions in Europe (26), additional initiatives 
might follow to ensure that Europe remains ahead when it comes to protecting and empowering children 
online.  

Protecting vulnerable children must also extend to the offline world, where poverty and social 
exclusion  expose  them  to  greater  risks.  The  European  Child  Guarantee  and  its  strengthened 
implementation play a key preventive role by ensuring children in need can access key support services, 
such as social inclusion measures, educational assistance, and after-school activities, thereby reducing 
their vulnerability and their potential exposure to crime. In this context, the forthcoming Action Plan 
on the Protection of children against crime will reinforce preventive approaches that address the root 
causes  of  children’s  vulnerability  to  crime,  both  as  victims  and  perpetrators,  online  and  offline. 
Additionally, a dedicated toolkit will be developed to prevent radicalisation, focusing on early detection, 
strengthening protective factors, resilience through education and social integration (27). 

3.  REINFORCING FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE  

Breaking the cycle of child poverty requires bolder strategic choices and coordinated action across 
all levels. Joint efforts are needed at European, national, regional and local levels, to design effective 
policies, invest financial resources efficiently and enhance the engagement of relevant stakeholders, 
including private actors and children themselves.  

Adequate funding for impact 

More robust and sustained funding is needed to have a lasting impact on child poverty and break 
the cycle of poverty. Crucial investments have already been mobilised, but some of them only support 
short-term  projects  and  are  not  adequately  targeted  to  the  most  in  need.  Gaps  in  financing  remain. 
Closing  these  gaps,  by  leveraging  national  and  regional/local  budgets,  EU  funding  and  all  other 
available resources is essential.  

Since the adoption of the Guarantee, EU funding has played a pivotal role in its implementation. 
Under  the  current  2021–2027  Multiannual  Financial  Framework,  at  least  EUR  9.6  billion  from  the 
European  Social  Fund  Plus  has  been  earmarked  to  tackle  child  poverty.  By  the  end  of  2024,  the 
Recovery and Resilience Facility had enabled Member States to scale up investment in education and 
childcare, benefiting 2.7 million pupils and students (28). The European Regional Development Fund 
has  helped  address  critical  infrastructure  shortages,  such  as  childcare  and  school  facilities,  school 
canteens,  and  housing,  which  are  essential  for  delivering  the  Guarantee’s  objectives.  Erasmus+  has 
promoted mobility  opportunities  for  disadvantaged  children,  while fostering  inclusion  through  sport 
and culture. In addition, support from the Technical Support Instrument (29) has helped design reforms 
in 13 countries. For instance, a multi-country project enhanced the capacity of authorities in Portugal, 
Italy and Spain to implement inclusive education policies with a focus on reducing regional disparities. 
More  broadly,  EU  funding  has  enabled  Member  States  and  local  authorities  to  test  innovative 
approaches, support pilot initiatives, and expand successful measures which benefit children in need. 
The Commission will also encourage to make full use of investments programmed under the Recovery 
and Resilience Facility.  

(26) Special panel on child safety online. 
(27) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ProtectEU: Agenda to prevent and counter terrorism -
COM/2026/101 final. 

(28) MFF Performance Results Reports - Performance Data Tables.  
(29) Technical Support Instrument.  

9 

 
 
 
Looking ahead, the Commission is committed to ensuring that EU funding continues to support 
the Guarantee. In its proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, Member States 
are requested to concentrate on four key social objectives in their National and Regional Partnership 
Plans (30). One of these is addressing child poverty and implementing the European Child Guarantee, 
which should be supported by targeted actions and structural reforms, particularly in Member States 
with  high  child  poverty  rates.  This  gives  national  and  regional  authorities  a  sustained  investment 
opportunity to reinforce their efforts.  

To  guide  this  process,  the  Commission  will  present  a  compendium  of  good  practices  to  support 
national,  regional  and  local  authorities  in  scaling  up  reforms  and  investments.  In  addition,  the 
Commission will leverage the European Semester to identify gaps and, where appropriate, put forward 
recommendations to better embed the fight against child poverty in the coordination of Member States’ 
economic and social policies.  

Other  types  of  investments  will  also  be  mobilised.  Under  the  EU  Anti-Poverty  Strategy,  the 
Commission is stepping up cooperation with international financial institutions such as the European 
Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). The Commission will 
continue to engage with the EIB Group on supporting investments reflecting the scope of the EU Anti-
Poverty Strategy as well as the European Child Guarantee. Building on its current portfolio, the CEB 
can mobilise about EUR 1 billion annually in financing to support the implementation of the Guarantee, 
within its overall EUR 4 billion social investment envelope. A forthcoming cooperation framework 
with the CEB on tackling poverty and social exclusion will place a strong emphasis on children in 
vulnerable  situations,  especially through investments  in  education and  housing  solutions. To  further 
support  the  European  Child  Guarantee  and Youth  Guarantee,  the  Commission  will  engage  with  the 
private sector through the Coalition against poverty, bringing together socially responsible businesses 
and philanthropic organisations. 

Strengthened national governance frameworks  

The  European  Child  Guarantee  has  already  established  a  solid  governance  framework,  with 
national action plans and national coordinators in all Member States. A key added value of these 
plans lies in translating the Guarantee into concrete actions for children in need. However, given the 
remaining high incidence of child poverty and the growing threats to children’s wellbeing,  Member 
States should review their plans and step up their ambition to shield children from poverty, and 
better protect them from safety risks, in line with this Communication. Building on the principles for 
effective anti-poverty policies presented together with the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy (31), the revised 
plans  should  include  clear,  time-bound  targets  and  dedicated  funding,  with  a  stronger  focus  on  all 
categories of children in need, as well as reinforce outreach and improve the take-up of services.  

Besides  the implementation  of the  Guarantee,  the  national  Child Guarantee  coordinators  should 
also play a central role in addressing the broader challenges of child poverty and child safety in 
an integrated manner. This requires closer cooperation across ministries and government agencies, as 
well as enhanced collaboration with the Youth Guarantee coordinators and Anti-Poverty coordinators 
(32). Some Member States have taken steps in this direction, for instance by establishing the national 
Child Guarantee coordinator within the Prime Minister’s office or creating interministerial structures. 

(30) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Fund for 
economic, social and territorial cohesion, agriculture and rural, fisheries and maritime, prosperity and security 
for the period 2028-2034 and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/955 and Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509- 
COM/2025/565. 

(31) Commission Staff Working Document on Principles for effective anti-poverty policies – Supporting national, 

regional and local authorities in their fight against child poverty – SWD (2026) 771. 

(32) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the European Union's Anti-Poverty Strategy – COM 
(2026) 538. 

10 

 
 
 
To further support these efforts, the Commission will launch an ESF+ call for projects strengthening 
national governance frameworks and integrated policy responses.  

Regions  and  municipalities  are  often  directly  responsible  for  the  delivery  of  services  on  the 
ground, while civil society and social economy actors play a crucial role in reaching vulnerable children 
and filling gaps in benefit provision. Their involvement has already been fostered by some Member 
States, for instance, by setting up local Child Guarantee units at the municipal level. Member States 
should step up the involvement of local authorities and grassroot civil society organisations through 
dedicated  local  structures,  making  full  use  of  available  EU  support  (33).  The  Commission  and  the 
European Committee of the Regions will conclude a Joint Action Plan in 2026 and will collaborate 
on the launch of an “EU Social Inclusion Award” for cities and municipalities. The first edition of the 
award will focus on empowering children and young people from disadvantaged areas. Moreover, by 
the end of 2026, the Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee will conclude 
a cooperation agreement, building on existing framework for expert advisory support, and sharing best 
practices to address poverty, including child poverty.  

Strengthening  the  participation  of  children  themselves  is  also  important  so  that  their  voice  is 
listened to. Most Member States have involved children in the implementation of the Guarantee and 
should  further  reinforce  dialogue  with  children  and  young  adults,  in  line  with  the  2026  Council 
Conclusions on Investing in children. At the EU level, the Commission ran a consultation of 41,700 
children  under  the  EU  Children’s  Participation  Platform  to  inform  the  preparation  of  this 
Communication and will further embed dialogue with children on the Guarantee and the fight against 
child poverty in the activities of such Platform.  

At EU level, the Commission will also strengthen its partnerships with other EU institutions and 
stakeholders. It will actively collaborate with the European Parliament (in particular its Working Group 
on the European Child Guarantee and the Intergroup on Fighting Poverty, which provides an impactful 
political  forum  for  addressing  child  poverty).  The  Social  Protection  Committee  should  ensure  that 
fighting  child  poverty  and  exclusion  is  further  reflected  across  Member  States’  policies.  The 
Commission will also further strengthen cooperation with international organisations (such as UNICEF, 
which has actively contributed to the rollout of the Guarantee in the EU and beyond) and continue to 
engage the civil society organisations in the delivery of the strengthened Guarantee.  

Robust  monitoring  systems  are  essential  to  track  progress,  identify  gaps  and  adjust  policies 
accordingly. At the EU level, the Social Protection Committee has established a common framework 
(34)  to  track  implementation  of  the  European  Child  Guarantee,  with  a  commitment  to  continuously 
address emerging challenges and improve the measurement of results. It should be regularly revised 
and  updated.  EU-level  monitoring  should  be  complemented  by  comprehensive  tracking  at  national, 
regional  and  local  levels.  Member  States  should  strengthen  their  monitoring  frameworks  when 
reviewing  their  national  action  plans,  providing  a  basis  for  further  joint  work  within  the  Social 
Protection Committee. 

The Child Guarantee beyond the EU 

The European Child Guarantee is being rolled out in the candidate countries and potential candidates, 
all of which have nominated national contact points and are preparing their national action plans. The 
Commission supports these efforts through funding provided to UNICEF to assist in the development 
and implementation of these plans. The EU budget also supports specific projects, such as the rollout 

(33) EU programmes, initiatives and platforms, such as URBACT, the European Urban Initiative, the Rural Pact, 
and the upcoming EU Cities Platform, may support regions and municipalities in the implementation of the 
Guarantee  and  the  fight  against  child  poverty  at  the  local  level  through  technical  assistance  and  mutual 
learning. Intergovernmental cooperation on urban matters is also in place through the Urban Agenda for the 
EU and its Thematic Partnerships that could support local actions.  

(34) ECG monitoring framework. 

11 

 
 
 
of  the  ‘Better  care’  reform  in  Ukraine,  aimed  at  improving  the  standards  of  child  protection  and 
alternative  care  systems.  Beyond  funding,  the  Commission  will  intensify  cooperation  with  national 
Child Guarantee coordinators to further strengthen mutual learning and foster closer collaboration, also 
extending this engagement to candidate countries and potential candidates. The Guarantee has also been 
showcased  globally  as  a  promising  tool  to  break  the  cycle  of  disadvantage  and  promote  equal 
opportunities for disadvantaged children. 

CONCLUSION  

The promise of a fairer, more inclusive Europe where each child grows free from the constraints of 
poverty  must  become  a  reality.  By  acting  now  with  determination  and  solidarity,  we  can  accelerate 
progress towards the 2030 target of lifting at least 5 million children out of poverty and help eradicate 
poverty by 2050.  

The Commission stands firmly committed to these objectives and breaking the cycle of disadvantage. 
This is both a moral imperative and an investment in Europe’s future. With nearly one in four children 
at risk of poverty or social exclusion, bold and collective action is urgently needed to shield vulnerable 
families,  strengthen  the  European  Child  Guarantee  and  ensure  every  child  can  thrive  in  a  safe 
environment.  

All EU institutions, Member States, local authorities, civil society and private partners have a role to 
play  and  should  join  forces,  scale  up  proven  solutions,  close  implementation  gaps  and  mobilise 
sustained funding to break the cycle of disadvantage.  

12 

 
 
 
 
Annex:  List  of  new  initiatives  included  in  this  Communication  on  breaking  the  cycle  of  child 
poverty – strengthening the European Child Guarantee  

Date  

Initiative 
1. 

 PREVENTING AND REDUCING POVERTY AMONG FAMILIES 

Launch of the first-stage consultation of European social partners to obtain 
their views on the possible direction of EU action to support the activation 
of persons excluded from the labour market and equality between women 
and  men  with  regard  to  labour  market  opportunities,  including  through 
childcare. 
Commission  Recommendation  on  enhancing  efficiency  of  child-related 
benefit systems 

2026 

2027 

2.  STRENGTHENING THE IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN CHILD GUARANTEE 

Horizon call for innovative solutions in ECEC 
Curriculum and pedagogical guidelines  
ESF+ call for projects using culture and sport as tools for social inclusion 
Toolkit with UNICEF for child and adolescent health and mental wellbeing 
promotion 
Development of mentorship programmes as part of the Teachers’ Agenda 
Guidance supporting social inclusion of Roma children 
Pilot the European Child Guarantee Card 
Toolkit on pathways to adulthood for children in need (linking the European 
Child Guarantee and the Youth Guarantee) 

2026 
2026 
2027 
2027 

2026 
2027 
2027 
2027 

3.  REINFORCING FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE  

Adequate funding for impact 
Support  the  Coalition  Against  Poverty  in  mobilising  investments  from 
private  and  philanthropic  actors  for  children  at  risk  of  poverty  or  social 
exclusion 
Compendium of good practices to support national and local authorities’ 
investments in children 
Strengthened national governance frameworks 
ESF+ call for strengthening European Child Guarantee national governance 
frameworks  and  supporting  the  access  to  the  labour  market  for  Roma 
NEETs 
Conclusion of a cooperation agreement with the European Economic and 
Social Committee and a Joint Action Plan with the European Committee of 
the Regions on actions supporting fight against child poverty 
First  edition  of  the  EU  Social  Inclusion  Award  on  children  and  young 
people from disadvantaged areas 

Launch in 2026 

2027 

2026 

2026 

Launch in 2027 

13