Positioning Note: Prevention of child-family separations

All children and their families unequivocally deserve the opportunity to exist in a stable, safe, and supported environment.

The challenges many families face should not jeopardize their unity, but rather inspire collaborative action and accurate measures to create positive realities. By placing a greater emphasis on preventing child-family separations, we leave room to create more opportunities for children to realize their potential.

Creating a more ample database at national level and addressing all layers of vulnerability are the stepping stones in ensuring equal access to essential services. Existing policies and funding can improve the realities of many children, especially if families are supported and accompanied prior to any separation. The effectiveness of these tools directly affects a child’s life, therefore stakeholders and decision-makers at all levels must recognize that we can always do more for our children. As a living document, the European Child Guarantee allows for ongoing dialogue between policymakers and practitioners, ensuring that both persistent and rising challenges are continually considered.

When it comes to children and their families, no measure is inherently more justifiable than other. Our actions must be guided by the best knowledge available, while we relentlessly seek ways to reduce harmful environments and create safer conditions for our children.

To ensure the success of the Child Guarantee, it is essential to collect comprehensive data and carefully analyse areas, where resources can have the greatest impact. We must all be aware that before our efforts reach families, we must peel each tier of vulnerability fully. Maintaining an open and ongoing dialogue with civil society organizations is equally important, as they are not only the ones that collate and bridge stakeholders, but also very often the lifeline for children and families across Europe.

To further enrich this dialogue, we invite contributions from our member organizations, sharing good practice examples and successful interventions that have effectively prevented child-family separations. These contributions will grow the collective knowledge, keep communication flowing, and inspire meaningful change.

Families are the cornerstone of a healthy society, and we must ensure that no child is left with the task of navigating life without it.