In 2015, the European Parliament called on the European Commission and EU Member States to introduce a Child Guarantee in order to ensure that every child in poverty in Europe has access to five key social rights: free healthcare, education and childcare (ECEC), as well as decent housing and adequate nutrition.

To explore the potential scope of such a guarantee and with a view to informing its proposal for a Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee that was issued on 24 March, the Commission commissioned two studies whose scientific coordination was the responsibility of two researchers at LISER: Anne-Catherine Guio and Eric Marlier.

The first study, a feasibility study carried out between September 2018 and March 2020, made concrete suggestions for improving policies and programmes at EU and (sub-)national levels. It focuses on access to the above social rights by four groups of children: children with disabilities, children in alternative care, children with a migrant background (incl. refugee children) and children living in precarious family situations.

The second study, published on 23 March 2021, complements the first one by providing a thorough economic analysis of the design, governance, costs, benefits and implementation options of a European Child Guarantee in the 27 EU Member States. The figure below shows the potential benefits of some priority actions suggested by the study.