Developing structural tools to support the implementation of the European Child Guarantee in Portugal

Developing structural tools to support the implementation of the European Child Guarantee in Portugal 

The Commission provides technical support to Portugal to develop capacities for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the national Child Guarantee action plan, to strengthen buy-in of the network of Child Guarantee local units, reinforce stakeholder engagement with children and young people, and support greater coordination across national and local policies to ensure a common governance approach to policy design and local implementation.

Context

Portugal has developed a National Action Plan to implement the European Child Guarantee (CG). Portugal’s National Action Plan contains measures relating to 1) access to Early Childhood Education and Care; 2) school performance and drop-out; 3) access to health, particularly mental health and to address child neglect; 4) nutrition, access to school meals; and 5) housing.

To support the articulation of the CG at the central and local levels, Portugal is creating a network of local CG Coordinators located in every municipality. The local CG coordinators structures will mirror the National Child Guarantee Coordination. These local CG coordinators will have various roles (e.g., outreach), including collect/generate local data on the implementation of the CG in their own municipality, communicating on the national CG Action plan and mobilising municipalities, intermunicipal entities and other entities involved.

This project is linked to the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, specifically compliance with principle 11 childcare and support to children, for which the national CG action plan will ensure. The project also supports the RRP, specifically Portugal’s plans to expand its preschool network, aimed to provide free access to ECEC to all 3-years-old, to which the National CG Action Plan will progress.

Support delivered

The technical support project aims at helping to ensure inclusive, effective and sustainable child- and youth-centred support by:

(1) developing capacity for the monitoring and evaluation of the national CG Action Plan, in particular by enhancing the quality of data and information on the CG target population of children and young people, including their need for and ability to access key services using a holistic well-being approach and strengthening the governance and implementation of the monitoring to deliver results. A specific emphasis will be placed on monitoring and evaluating the implementation and action plan among the most vulnerable children and families;

(2) strengthening the buy-in of the network of Local CG Coordinators of measures included in the national CG action plan, reinforcing stakeholder engagement with child and youth stakeholders, and supporting greater coordination across national and local policies to ensure a common governance approach to policy design and local implementation. This will include developing capacity among the network of local child guarantee coordinators to communicate with and engage child and youth stakeholders to improve the delivery of the national CG action plan. 

The Project will pay attention to the differences in needs and capacities of the Portuguese territories to successfully implement the national CG action plan.

Results expected

Project activities are designed to provide the Portuguese beneficiary with (1) A report including an assessment of strengths and weakness of data monitoring system and its governance, discussing challenges to strengthen monitoring capacities and providing a methodology and guidance material for monitoring the implementation of the national CG action plan, taking into account EU and OECD good practices; (2) Guidance material for the network of Local CG Coordinators on communication with and engagement of child and youth stakeholders; and (3) Capacity building workshops and knowledge sharing policy events, related to data collection, monitoring and evaluation, and communication and engagement with child and youth stakeholders to be co-developed with Portuguese authorities.