How can we effectively reach, engage and retain young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs)?

This webinar, organised within the PRODIGY project, will provide practical guidelines and approaches for strengthening outreach, building meaningful relationships with NEETs, fostering engagement and supporting long-term participation. More than a training session, the webinar will be a space for exchange, discussion and peer learning.

Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, reflect on common challenges and explore together practical strategies and solutions for engaging NEETs more effectively.The session will combine practical inputs with an open discussion, encouraging participants to contribute their perspectives and experiences.

The project, funded by the SII+ has been implemented in Italy, Bulgaria and Greece; it outreached vulnerable young and promote training on digital and green skills; this is the final European event.

Register now

In this 11th episode of the Eurochild podcast, we explore some of the projects sub-granted by our Daphne-CHILD initiative with Terre des Hommes which supported grassroot civil society organisations address violence against children in 9 countries. From bullying, to institutional violence and conflicts, violence affects children in many ways. This is why it is important to tackle it together with children from the very beginning.

The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Previous episodes here.

Nearly one in four* children in the European Union is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. As negotiations on the EU’s next long-term budget for 2028–2034, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), gather pace, Europe faces a political choice: protect and strengthen investment in children, or allow their needs to become less visible among competing priorities.

That choice was the focus of the event, held at the European Parliament InfoHub in Brussels. Co-chaired by Eurochild and Save the Children, the Alliance convened it with support from a Tanya’s Dream Fund project led by Eurochild. It brought together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), the European Commission, civil society, financial institutions and philanthropy, with around 90 participants in person and almost 50 online to discuss how the next EU budget can deliver meaningful change for children and families.

A child cannot wait for the next budget cycle

“A child born today will be eight years old by the end of the next MFF”, highlighted Dr Ally Dunhill, Director of Policy, Advocacy and Communications at Eurochild, in her opening remarks. Those are formative years in which access to early childhood education and care, healthcare, nutritious meals, safe housing and family support can change the course of a life. Prevention and early intervention are not optional add-ons: they help families stay together, reduce avoidable harm and provide children with opportunities that exclusion would otherwise deny them.

The challenge remains immense. Eurochild highlighted that around 19.2 million children (24.3%) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, roughly the same number as the 2019 baseline. The EU’s ambition to lift at least five million children out of poverty by 2030 is not being met at the necessary pace. Participants stressed that the social and economic costs of underinvestment are borne by children now and by society for years to come.

Protect what works and give the European Child Guarantee the resources it needs

The European Child Guarantee has already established a common framework for delivering essential services to children in need. As Eurochild’s Zuzana Konradova, EU Affairs Coordinator, explained during the first panel, it has also improved national coordination, monitoring and accountability. Concrete examples include the expansion of free school meals in Croatia and stronger access to early childhood education in Lithuania. But policy frameworks alone cannot deliver a structural reduction in child poverty without sustained investment.

A central concern was the proposed move towards National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). The European Commission underlined that integrated plans could combine infrastructure and services more effectively, and that child poverty would remain a required investment area. Civil society and several MEPs warned, however, that flexibility without protected allocations risks leaving children to compete with more politically visible priorities.

In a video message, MEP Klára Dobrev (S&D) called for a strong European Social Fund and at least €20 billion dedicated to the European Child Guarantee. MEP Estelle Ceulemans (S&D) highlighted the risk of weakening the visibility and predictability of social funding. MEP Hristo Petrov (Renew Europe), who spoke on the second panel, put the issue simply: “Earmarking makes a priority harder to forget.”

Georgi Elenkov, Director of Policies for Children at the National Network for Children in Bulgaria, stressed that dedicated funding must go hand in hand with stronger accountability for the results achieved. Drawing on Bulgaria’s experience, he warned that greater flexibility in the next EU budget must not come at the expense of protected investment in children.

Social investment is Europe’s future investment

In the second panel, speakers from the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank illustrated how loans, guarantees, grants and advisory support can complement EU funds and help deliver schools, housing, healthcare and community services. Save the Children Sweden showed why long-term EU support matters even in wealthier welfare states; Tanya’s Dream Fund explained how early support, trusted community relationships and family-centred services can prevent crises before they escalate.

Such partnerships can help scale effective solutions, but they cannot substitute for predictable public financing or clear accountability. As speakers repeatedly stressed, the test of success is not merely whether funds are allocated or projects completed, but whether the most disadvantaged children actually receive support when they need it.

Five priorities for the negotiations identified at the event

• Protect a strong, identifiable European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and ensure that poverty reduction and children’s rights remain explicit objectives of EU spending.
• Guarantee meaningful minimum allocations: at least 25% for social inclusion; at least 5% for tackling child poverty in every Member State, rising to 10% where child poverty is higher; and at least €20 billion for the European Child Guarantee.
• Fund prevention and accessible, high-quality services together, not just buildings, but qualified staff, outreach, transport, family support and community-based alternatives to institutional care.
• Embed binding child-rights safeguards, including protection against financing segregation and institutionalisation, and strengthen child-sensitive monitoring and the European Semester.
• Give children, families and civil society a real role in shaping and monitoring investment, and measure improvements in their lives rather than spending alone.

As the Parliament and Member States negotiate the next MFF, Eurochild and its partners in the EU Alliance for Investing in Children call on decision-makers across political groups to turn Europe’s commitments into protected funding and measurable results. Children’s rights should not depend on which competing priority attracts the loudest voice. As Georgi Elenkov argued, social cohesion and equal opportunities are fundamental to Europe’s long-term security and should not be set against defence spending. Investing in children is an investment in social cohesion, security, resilience and Europe’s long-term prosperity.

Look at the photos from the event

*Note: 2026 AROPE statistics

The appeal covers events since July 2026, when Russia escalated its strikes on civilians in Ukraine. Since then, attacks that once came mostly at night have continued around the clock, even in cities far behind the front line. Missiles and drones are increasingly hitting schools, hospitals, malls, and trains, now including in cities hundreds of kilometers from the front line.

Even the journey to school has become dangerous for children. The Foundation’s psychologists, who work with children every day, see that the issues they face are becoming more complex: suicidal thoughts and self-harm are becoming more frequent. In total, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, 762 children have been killed and 2,953 injured.

The document features testimonies from boys and girls living under shelling, data from the UN and Ukraine’s Ministries of Education and Health on strikes on residential areas, schools, and hospitals and explain how international partners can help protect children in Ukraine.

How you can help

• Support their position in writing.
• Share this appeal with decision-makers you are already in contact with.
• Help sustain the work behind this appeal.
• Strengthen children’s voices with your expertise.
• Propose your own step.

Voices will then compile the responses they receive into a single package and submit them where there is a mandate to act: to UN mechanisms, to parliaments and governments that make decisions on sanctions, and to institutions investigating war crimes.

Read the full chronicle

While their demands differ, they are concerned that governments must address under-resourced education and unequal opportunities, corruption, lack of accountability, and their ability to shape their future. This reinforces Eurochild’s longstanding calls to invest in children, tackle poverty and inequality, and ensures that children and young people can meaningfully influence public decisions. 

Concerns about education cuts, unaffordable housing, rising living costs, employment prospects and environmental challenges deserve serious political attention. These structural challenges require sustained action, alongside immediate measures to address the pressures facing children, young people, and their families. 

Eurochild has long called on governments to tackle poverty and inequality and protect investment in children. Fiscal constraints and decisions to reduce public spending must not undermine children’s rights or the opportunities of younger generations. Authorities must ensure adequate, sustained investment in children, including dedicated budgets and sufficient funding for education, housing, and essential services, especially during crises. This is particularly important for education, which is both a fundamental right and a powerful tool for breaking cycles of poverty. 

Eurochild has also long called for an intergenerational approach to the decisions taken today. Tackling environmental challenges is a matter of intergenerational fairness and of protecting those most exposed to their effects, including children already facing intersecting forms of discrimination and disadvantage.  

Unemployment and in-work poverty affect families across Europe, shaping children’s lives and opportunities from an early age. This reflects systemic failures that governments must address at their roots through decent jobs, adequate wages, and strong social protection. At the same time, families need immediate support through adequate child benefits, scholarships, and access to affordable, quality services, so financial hardship does not undermine children’s rights. 

While we condemn violence and vandalism, these incidents must not overshadow the voices and concerns of peaceful protesters. The actions of some individuals must never be used to discredit others or justify restrictions on their right to peaceful protest. Public authorities must protect peaceful participants. Any use of force must be lawful and proportionate, and intimidation or unlawful retaliation against peaceful protesters is unacceptable. 

Governments must respond to the concerns raised by children, young people, and the wider public through meaningful dialogue and concrete action, including by discussing their concerns and demands. Protecting the right to peaceful protest must go hand in hand with addressing the inequalities and challenges that shape children’s lives. Eurochild calls on governments to invest in children, uphold their rights, and ensure their voices meaningfully influence decisions that affect their present and future.  

Eurochild’s support for the rights to peaceful expression and assembly should not be construed as endorsement of every claim, objective or action associated with any particular protest movement. 

Photo from Wikipedia: A march during the general strike in Belgrade on 24 January 2025. The banner in the foreground reads “Само Студент Србина Спашава” (Only a Student[s] Saves the Serbs).

Eurochild has played a key role in bringing our policy analysis, members’ expertise and children’s experiences into this debate. Our position on age restrictions on social media in February 2026 has enabled us to contribute a strong voice and engage with European Institutions, the media, technology companies and other stakeholders. Our participation in the European Commission President’s Special Expert Panel on child safety online further demonstrates our contribution at the highest level of the EU political agenda. 

We particularly welcome the recognition that all children under 18 have the right to protection and age-appropriate safeguards, alongside broad coverage encompassing online social networking services, video-sharing platform services, software application stores, online games, operating systems, AI companions and general conversational chatbots. 

The proposal translates safety by design into concrete obligations, although these do not apply equally across all covered services. We welcome safeguards against addictive design, high privacy and security settings by default, and restrictions on unsolicited contact. Requirements on recommender systems and interruptions protecting sleep and school time are further positive developments, but equivalent protections should be extended to services where gaps remain, including online games. We also welcome protections against harmful commercial practices, safeguards addressing AI-related emotional dependency, and accessible tools supporting children’s agency. Child-friendly reporting, priority handling of children’s reports, collective complaints and independent audits offer important avenues for accountability. Protections for users without accounts and strong privacy requirements for age assurance are further positive developments. 

To realise this ambition, the proposal should be strengthened in four areas: 

Establish a coherent framework and reverse the burden of proof. All providers should demonstrate safety and age-appropriateness before exposing children to services through child-rights risk assessments, independent review, proportionate audits, and ongoing monitoring, including across all platforms. Assess cumulative harms and unequal impacts, clarify exemptions and coordinate enforcement with existing EU legislation. 

Ensure safeguards are not dependent on guardian availability. Children’s access to safe, age-appropriate services should not depend on adults’ availability, resources or digital skills. For social networking and general video-sharing services, children aged 13–14 should be able to hold limited accounts independently, with providers applying binding time limits, safe contact settings, high privacy defaults and accessible reporting and confidential support. This would prevent exclusion and disruption of legitimate contacts, particularly for children in alternative care and unaccompanied children. Guardian tools should provide optional additional support, while respecting children’s privacy and evolving capacities. 

Close gaps for AI and gaming. Ensure equivalent core protections across services, with additional safeguards tailored to their risks. AI companions and general conversational chatbots should remain unavailable to children under 13, while access for older children should depend on independently demonstrated safety and age-appropriateness. Specialised educational AI limited exclusively to educational functions and not qualifying as an AI companion should be distinguished from these systems. For online games, providers should demonstrate suitable age ranges and apply binding safeguards before allowing children’s access, including effective time controls, stronger contact protections and a prohibition on paid loot boxes and other purchasable randomised rewards for minors.  

Ensure inclusive implementation and meaningful participation. Embed accessibility by design and assess unequal impacts through a gender-sensitive, intersectional approach, prioritising children in vulnerable situations. Involve children in designing, testing and reviewing safeguards, supported by independent expertise, research, effective complaints and evaluation of real-world outcomes. Invest in digital literacy, support for families and educators, and shared, accessible, privacy-preserving infrastructure. 

The Act offers a promising foundation for lasting change. Eurochild will work with the EU Institutions, members, children and partners to translate this ambition into inclusive protection, meaningful participation and effective accountability. 

For more information, please contact Francesca Pisanu, Eurochild Senior Policy Officer.

Read Eurochild’s full reaction to the EU KIDS Act

Eurochild welcomes the proposed EU KIDS Act as a necessary step toward a safer digital environment that upholds the rights of all children. Its differentiated approach recognises that children’s needs, capacities and vulnerabilities evolve throughout childhood and adolescence, although its age thresholds and safeguards require further strengthening. 

We particularly welcome the recognition that all children under 18 have the right to protection and age-appropriate safeguards, alongside broad coverage encompassing social networking services, video sharing platforms, online games, AI companions, conversational chatbots and app stores. 

The proposal translates safety by design into concrete obligations. We welcome safeguards against addictive design, high privacy and security settings by default, and restrictions on unsolicited contact.  We also welcome protections against harmful commercial practices, safeguards addressing AI-related emotional dependency, and accessible tools supporting children’s agency. 

To realise this ambition, the proposal should be strengthened in four areas: 

• Establish a coherent framework and reverse the burden of proof.  
• Ensure safeguards regardless of guardian availability.  
• Close gaps for AI and online games.
• Ensure inclusive implementation and meaningful participation.  

Read Eurochild’s full reaction

• Hours: 28 hours per week, worked over 4 days
• Salary: 45,000 EUR for 28 hours per week (FTE €56,250)
• Contract: Permanent (Contrat à durée indeterminée)
• Location: Paris-based (with some remote work possible)
• Language: English/French
• Closing date: 16 November 2026

Read the full call and apply

Eurochild member Terre des hommes Hungary invites you to this webinar organised by the Child Protection Hub which will present:

• A Methodological Toolbox for Establishing, Supporting and Sustaining Child and Youth Advisory Boards developed in the Unity project, available in contextualized versions in Albanian (for Albania and Kosovo), Greek, Romanian;
• Experiences from the project partners working with child advisors at national and international levels and the co-creation process with young people of advocacy materials;
• Video testimonies of child advisors.

Language: English

Find out more about the project and register on ChildHub platform.