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Protecting children from all forms of violence is a core objective of the European Union. Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union (‘TEU’) establishes the objective for the Union to promote the protection of the rights of the child. This fundamental right is among the values on which the Union is founded pursuant Article 2 TEU. In accordance with Article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’), this right provides that children shall have the right to such protection and care as is necessary for their well-being, and that in all actions relating to children, whether taken by public authorities or private institutions, the child’s best interests must be a primary consideration. Such protection should not only be provided for within the Union, but also in the Union’s relations with the wider world in accordance with Article 3(5) TEU.

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Child protection is also a key objective of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (‘UN Convention’) (1), of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) (2), as well as other international legal instruments (3) and non-legally binding instruments at UN level (4) and at Council of Europe level (5).

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Upholding and fulfilling children’s rights is central in the EU Strategy on the rights of the child (the Strategy) (6). In the Strategy, the Commission committed to ‘present an initiative aimed at supporting the development and strengthening of integrated child protection systems’ as a key deliverable to combat all forms of violence against children and ensure child protection.

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In its 2021 Resolution on children’s rights (7), the European Parliament stressed the importance of developing and strengthening integrated national and transnational child protection systems, equipped with resources, implementation and monitoring schemes. The Council Conclusions on the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child of June 2022 also called upon Member States to take an integrated (coordinated and multidisciplinary) approach to child protection (8). The Committee of the Regions also emphasised the crucial need to empower local and regional authorities in integrated child protection systems, in its opinion (9).

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The consultation of more than 1 000 children under the new EU Children’s Participation Platform (10) on their protection needs demonstrates that child protection is still not a given (11). This Recommendation also builds on an open public consultation and a call for evidence. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (‘FRA’) also undertook a mapping of national child protection systems in the Union (12) and their functioning, at the request of the Commission. Key outcomes are outlined in the evidence-based Staff Working Document accompanying this Recommendation.

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A key finding shows that national child protection systems are diverse. These systems are designed in line with specific needs, allocated resources, and shaped by specific cultural, social, and historic factors, and with different levels of decentralisation. Shared challenges however concern, for instance, insufficient prevention policies and early identification systems, as well as missing timely, comprehensive (including psychosocial) support, notably for children facing co-occurring protection needs, and monitoring. Coordination mechanisms are often lacking to ensure effective multi-disciplinary responses across ministries or across different layers of competences. The availability and coordination of human and financial resources is also a challenge. Based on this, more efficient and integrated child protection systems are clearly needed.

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Promoting a culture of zero-tolerance for violence against children requires to close the gap between international standards, political commitments, and action and to mobilise all relevant actors across the society (13). This should concern any form of violence, meaning all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, physically, online, or in virtual worlds (‘violence against children’). Such violence includes for instance domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual abuse, gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation and child marriage, as well as all forms of bullying and corporal punishment. In this light, this Recommendation principally aims to foster the development of integrated child protection systems in Member States and to strengthen their functioning, and to promote child protection as a priority of the Union in its external action.

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To respond better to children’s views and needs, which is central to this Recommendation, national child protection systems should be context-specific, child-centred and implemented at the most appropriate level of governance. Member States should facilitate cross-sectorial cooperation and coordination between private actors, local, regional, and national authorities and Union institutions, bodies, and agencies, to ensure equal access to child protection services. The best interests of the child should be taken as a primary consideration, while listening to children’s views. An integrated approach should also connect prevention, early warning, reporting, cross-sectorial support, and monitoring.

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Different actors, across diverse levels of competence and sectors, are holding specific responsibilities in child protection. Clearly defined roles and close coordination are essential between all relevant actors, notably public authorities (at all levels, according to their competences), private actors and civil society organisations. Relevant professionals and actors cover various sectors, such as education and training (teachers, educators, support services at all levels, including early childhood education and care), social (e.g. social workers, service providers, residential and foster care givers), health (including mental health), justice and law enforcement (e.g., lawyers, judges, police, professionals working in closed or semi-closed facilities), asylum and migration, diplomatic and consular protection, digital, sport, leisure, media or culture, finance, business and environment, as well as traditional and religious leaders. Families and communities have a central role to play in child protection, as well as children themselves.

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The wide variety of tools at the disposal of Member States, including at Union level (legislation, policies and funding), can help making child protection systems more integrated and robust. As such, this Recommendation builds on the relevant Union acquis related to children’s rights as well as non-binding actions taken in this area (14). It aims at bringing a holistic and cross-cutting approach to child protection, pulling together the already existing legislation and action to make child protection systems work in a more integrated way, centred on children.

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Promoting equality and inclusion in our societies is an important tool for the prevention of violence. Children with characteristics related to causes of discrimination are more likely to face bullying. For instance, children with disabilities have a higher risk of becoming victims of violence and abuse both in their home environment and in institutions (15). 11 % of LGBTI children aged 15 to 17 experienced a physical or sexual attack due to being LGBTI in the five years before the 2019 survey (16). Children who witness acts of racism and experience self-censorship in disclosing their identity are more likely to develop socio-emotional problems than those who have not. This is particularly true for Roma children, who often face discrimination, antigypsyism and socioeconomic exclusion in their daily lives (17). It is therefore essential that integrated child protection systems are inclusive, ensuring that all children are always treated equally and without discrimination, in line with the Commission’s five Union of equality strategies (18), the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (19) and the Action plan on Integration and Inclusion (20). The Joint Communication on no place for hate aims to step up EU efforts to fight hatred in all its forms (21).

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Mental health and psychological support are constitutive elements at any stage of child protection. The Commission’s Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health (22) focuses on boosting the mental health of children. The Commission recognises childhood as a determining stage for mental health throughout the entire life. In a whole-school approach to well-being, mental health and non-violent language are key to prevent bullying, including cyberbullying, and violence, in collaboration with mental health professionals and families. This is notably highlighted by the Commission Expert Group on supportive learning environments for groups at risk of underachievement and for supporting well-being at school (23), which contributes to achievement of the European Education Area by 2025 (24). This work supports the implementation of the Council Recommendation of 28 November 2022 on Pathways to School Success (25).

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One of the main determinants of social exclusion of children is the unequal access to key services. They are essential for children’s wellbeing and for the development of their social, cognitive and emotional skills. The European Pillar of Social Rights (26), in principle 11, states that children have the right to affordable early childhood education and care of good quality; right to protection from poverty as well as that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have the right to specific measures to enhance equal opportunities. In addition, the Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 (27) for a European Child Guarantee calls on Member States to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing effective access of children in need to a set of key services, such as education, healthcare and housing. This notably concerns children coming from precarious, violent, and abusive family backgrounds. The European Pillar of Social Rights, the European Child Guarantee and the European Care Strategy (28) present a comprehensive EU policy framework to secure access to basic services for children in vulnerable situations or from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Council Recommendation on early childhood education and care (29) also supports the Member States in their efforts to improve access to and quality of early childhood education and care. The EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (30) recalled that one third of young people in Europe are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, which has an impact on the enjoyment of their social rights. Many continue to face multiple forms of discrimination, experience prejudice and hate crimes. It is therefore crucial to address disparities and work towards ensuring equal opportunities for the youngest generations in Europe, including the most marginalised and excluded.

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Child abuse and sexual exploitation is an evolving crime that is increasing in frequency in the Union. This Recommendation reflects the importance of the Union’s commitment to protect children against child sexual abuse, both online and offline. The EU Strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse (31) takes a holistic perspective on this crime, leveraging all tools available at EU level, both legislative and non-legislative, to prevent and combat these crimes and provide assistance to victims, mobilising all relevant stakeholders, from public authorities to the private sector. As part of this Strategy, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (32), which would oblige online service providers to prevent the dissemination of child sexual abuse material and the grooming of children. The Child Sexual Abuse Directive (33) provides for definitions of criminal offences and sanctions in the area of child sexual abuse and exploitation and sets out obligations for Member States in relation to prevention of those crimes and assistance and support for victims. As part of the Strategy, the Commission adopted a proposal for the revision of this Directive (34).

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Children have to be protected in both physical and digital environments from risks such as (cyber-)bullying and harassment. This is notably emphasised in the Council conclusions on digital empowerment to protect and enforce fundamental rights in the digital age (35) and on supporting well-being in digital education (36). The European Strategy for a Better internet for Kids Plus (37) (BIK+) aims to ensure that children are protected, respected and empowered online in the new digital decade, while protection of minors is a key concern in the legislative and policy framework, for example the Digital Services Act (38), the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (39), the General Data Protection Regulation (40), and the EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds (41). Under the BIK+ umbrella, the Commission continues to fight back against cyberbullying, notably through the work of the EU co-funded network of Safer internet Centres (SICs) which provide helplines, as well as training and resources to be used in the formal and informal education settings.

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National justice systems of the Member States should take into account children’s needs as victims, suspects, accused or convicted persons, witnesses or as other parties to legal proceedings, to facilitate the effective exercise of their rights. The Victims’ Rights Directive (42), the Procedural Safeguards Directive for children who are suspects or accused persons in criminal proceedings (43), and the EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020- 2025) (44) explicitly set out or aim to promote specific rights and safeguards for children covered thereby. A targeted, integrated multi-agency approach to support and protect child victims, with age-appropriate services, is needed for victims of crime. A multidisciplinary approach should be adopted for children who are suspects or accused persons, in particular for the individual assessment of the child’s specific circumstances, needs and vulnerabilities. This Recommendation further reflects the importance of the Maintenance Regulation (45) and the Brussels IIb Regulation (46), by strengthening cross-border judicial cooperation within the Union in civil matters related to children. Central Authorities designated under the Brussels IIb Regulation play a role in providing assistance in cross-border child protection cases. Children are also victims of trafficking in human beings for all forms of exploitation (47). Child victims of trafficking are considered as particularly vulnerable under the Anti-trafficking Directive (48) and are a specific focus of the EU Strategy against trafficking in human beings (2021-2025). The child helplines (116 111), the missing children hotlines (116 000) and other national (child) helplines and hotlines play a role in child protection systems.

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The protection of the rights of children in migration, including children who are unaccompanied and seeking international protection, require continuous efforts to address concerns. Violence is a daily threat for children on the move, especially those who travel unaccompanied or are separated from their families (49). Migrant and refugee children are in a state of particular vulnerability and require specific and appropriate protection, as stressed in the Communication on the protection of children in migration (50). Children’s vulnerability is exacerbated when they are unaccompanied or separated children. Following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Commission has fully committed itself to supporting Member States to protect children displaced from Ukraine to the EU territory (51). This includes supporting missing children’s hotlines and child helplines, as well as helping to ensure their inclusion in national education systems and providing guidance to Member States to help ensure the quick connection of displaced children to national child protection systems (52).

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The Pact on Migration and Asylum, which awaits final adoption by the Council (53), introduces additional safeguards and obligations on child protection which will have to be operationalised prior to it becoming applicable. The best interests of the child remain central across the EU Asylum acquis, where it must be a primary consideration. Member States have to identify and accommodate any special provision that asylum-seeking children might need after they cross the border, taking into account continuity and stability of care. The Pact shortens deadlines for the appointment of child representatives and reinforces standards related to their training, qualification, and oversight, equally enshrining the need to take children’s views into account and provide child-friendly information. It shortens deadlines related to all children’s access to education and expands children’s access to healthcare so that they receive the same type of healthcare as provided to their own nationals who are minors. It includes stronger guarantees for minors in relation to detention, specifying that, as a rule, children should not be detained. As highlighted in the Action plan on Integration and Inclusion (54), transition to adulthood support is another essential aspect to be taken into account in children protection system, in order to ensure the best and most sustainable transition out.

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The Union provides for ample funding opportunities to contribute to the protection of children from all forms of violence. Union funds are available to support the development and strengthening of integrated child protection systems in Member States and other relevant measures. To facilitate navigating different programmes, the Commission has put in place a single gateway for Union funds and enables users to find relevant funding opportunities (55). Beneficiaries of Union funding are obliged to respect Union values, principles, applicable law, and contractual provisions when implementing such funding. The Commission has implemented measures to support compliance and address possible violations. Moreover, for the EU funds covered by the Common Provisions Regulation (56), Member States are required to fulfil the horizontal enabling conditions on the Charter as well as on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Accordingly, Member States are required to put in place effective mechanisms to ensure that programmes supported by those Union funds and their implementation are in compliance with the Charter and the UNCRPD.

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The Commission also provides dedicated financial support to prevent and combat violence against children, gender-based violence against girls, and domestic violence, and to protect victims of such violence, under the Daphne strand of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (‘CERV’) (57). The Equality, Rights and Gender Equality strand of CERV provides further funding opportunities to promote children’s rights and children’s participation, and to combat discrimination faced by certain groups of children. The Justice programme (58) also supports the protection of children with funding opportunities, notably in the field of child-friendly justice.

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The Technical Support Instrument (59) provides on-demand tailor-made technical expertise for designing and implementing structural reforms in the Member States. This includes the areas of education, social services, migration and border management, health and justice, for example supporting the implementation of Children’s houses (Barnahus (60)). Integrated child protection systems are also part of a 2024 flagship technical support initiative on Reinforcing Democracy and Rule and Law (61). Cross-sectoral reforms can tackle child poverty and social exclusion under the flagship on the implementation of the European Child Guarantee, while offering the possibility to provide multi-country technical support.

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A number of other Union funding programmes can cover other specific concerns relating to child protection and children’s well-being. This can notably address children’s mental health, vaccination and childhood cancer prevention and care under the EU4Health programme (62). Child poverty and social exclusion are covered under the European Social Fund Plus (63); child trafficking and child sexual abuse under the Internal Security Fund (64); asylum, integration or return support targeting non-EU children, under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (65); access to non-segregated services in education, housing, health-, social- and child-care under the European Regional Development Fund (66). Reforms, investments and policies for the next generation of children and youth, such as education and skills, can also be addressed under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (67). The Union co-funds Safer internet Centres in Member States to provide awareness-raising activities and resources on child online safety. It also supports children, carers and educators with counselling and reporting services via child helplines and hotlines to report child sexual abuse material. The Union’s framework programme for research and innovation Horizon Europe (68) also supports various projects linked to the protection of children in thematic areas of research, including on the prevention of child sexual exploitation and domestic and sexual violence.

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The Union’s commitment to child protection is also reflected in its external action. In 2022, approximately 468 million children (more than one in six) were living in a conflict zone. 160 million children (9,6 % of all children globally) were victims of child labour in 2020 (69). Every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence (70). The Union’s action to uphold children’s rights and child protection globally is based on the way the Union nurtures and bolsters its democratic and fundamental rights foundations within the Union. The Youth Action Plan in EU External Action (71) aims to promote meaningful child and youth participation and empowerment in the external action of the Union. The Gender Action Plan III (72) aims to fight all forms of gender-based violence. Child protection is a key objective of the Union’s Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child and on Children and Armed Conflict (73). The Union Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024) (74) calls on partner countries for instance to build and strengthen child protection systems and to take a zero-tolerance policy against child labour; the proposed Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market shall contribute to this goal. This commitment was also reflected in the Communication on Decent Work (75) which will support in the fight against child labour.

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There is a strong need to protect children from climate change and environmental hazards, both on the EU territory and globally. Children are far more likely than adults to suffer serious harm, including irreversible and lifelong consequences and death, from environmental degradation (76), climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. This increases children’s risk of facing grave rights violations, notably in armed conflict, due to displacement, famine and increased violence (77). The differentiated impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on women, children and vulnerable groups need to be addressed (78). The 2023 Guidelines on Member States’ Adaptation Strategies and Plans (79) highlight children among stakeholders with a higher likelihood of being impacted by climate change, and who also need to be included in the climate adaptation process. When taking action to address climate change, parties should respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights, including children’s rights (80). The framework on the global goal on adaptation as adopted at COP28 (81), encourages parties to ensure intergenerational equity and social justice, taking into consideration vulnerable groups including children. This also requires ensuring active child participation in decision-making on critical matters affecting the protection of their rights. The perspective of children and young people is part of the European Climate Pact (82) activities, and notably the network of Climate Pact Ambassadors and Partners.

(25)

This Recommendation is addressed to the Member States. Candidate countries, potential candidates for accession to the Union, and Union neighbourhood policy countries are also encouraged to follow this Recommendation.