European Platform for Investing in Children helps identify 'practices that work' across member states

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RAND Europe created and maintains the online European Platform for Investing in Children (EPIC). Reflecting the European Commission’s policy focus on children at risk, EPIC collects, evaluates, and disseminates practices that improve outcomes for children. RAND applies a rigorous evaluation framework for the identification of effective, lasting, and transferable child policy practices in Europe.

Background

In late February 2013, the European Commission (EC) adopted a new Recommendation: 'Investing in Children - breaking the cycle of disadvantage', annexed to the new Social Investment Package.

Referring to the new Recommendation, Commissioner László Andor launched the European Platform for Investing in Children (EPIC) in a speech at the Council of Europe Conference on Poverty and Inequalities in Societies of Human Rights. Andor explained that EPIC 'will collect and disseminate innovative practices' in areas such as early childhood education and care or parenting support.

An EU news release noted, "For children, disadvantage and exclusion experienced at an early age continue to have an impact on their ability to succeed at later stages of their lives. This is reflected in high drop-out rates in education and reduced employment opportunities, often creating a cycle of disadvantage that is repeated across generations. Studies show that tackling childhood disadvantage early, before it compounds, is the best way to ensure that people live up to their full potential."

New steps will also be discussed with Member States to improve or complement EU indicators as regards child deprivation, quality and affordable childcare, children's health and the situation of the most vulnerable children.

Goals

RAND Europe is helping the EC by creating and maintaining the online EPIC platform, by redesigning the current European Alliance for Families (EAF) platform to reflect the EC’s new policy focus. EPIC will continue to serve as a platform for the collection and evaluation of good policy practices with relevance to children, and to foster cooperation and mutual learning in the field through thematic seminars and workshops.

The "Practices that Work" section of the website will continue to be maintained by RAND Europe, to highlight practices that have been found to have a positive impact on children and families in European Union Member States. Information on practices can be submitted online, and if their impact has been evaluated in the past, the practices are reviewed under a coherent evaluation framework. Where sufficient evidence exists, practices are listed in a separate section of the website for Evidence-Based Practices.

Project Team

Principal Investigator

Axelle Devaux

Current Team Members

  • Elena Rosa Brown
  • Silvia Galimberti
  • Stijn Hoorens
  • Natalie Picken

Former Team Members and Contributors

  • Matteo Barberi
  • Ben Baruch
  • Julie Bélanger
  • Janna van Belle
  • Miriam Broeks
  • Michaela Bruckmayer
  • Maya Buenaventura
  • Annemari de Silva
  • Sashka Dimova
  • Eliane Dufresne
  • Katrin Feyerabend
  • Lillian Flemons
  • Cloe Gendronneau
  • Lucy Hocking
  • Eleftheria Iakovidou
  • Becky Ioppolo
  • Barbara Janta
  • Lauren Kendrick
  • Rebecca Kilburn
  • Linda Kunertova
  • Giulia Lanfredi
  • Simon Larmour
  • Emma Leenders
  • Hui Lu
  • Teryn Mattox
  • Sunil Patil
  • Sue Phillips
  • William Phillips
  • Rachel Ross
  • Daniel Schweppenstedde
  • Yulia Shenderovich
  • Megan Sim
  • Martin Stepanek
  • Katie Stewart
  • Lance Tan

Recent Research

  • Building a better understanding of the impact of early childhood education and care

    This research note examines the medium- and long-term impact of early childhood education and care (ECEC) provision on education and labour market outcomes for children and parents, as well as the indicators employed for these measurements.

    27 Jan 2022

  • Juggling work and childcare during COVID-19

    This report examines policies introduced in 2020 by ten EU member states that aimed to support working parents during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and takes stock of their common features and impact.

    11 Jan 2022

  • Provision of school meals across the EU

    One goal of the European Commission is to provide all children in the EU with adequate nutrition. Researchers examined the rationales underpinning school meal programmes across the EU, the barriers and facilitators of school meal programmes, and what the evidence says about the outcomes of school meal programmes.

    01 Oct 2021

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Recent Commentaries

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