About the EU Children’s Participation Platform

The Platform is for all children and teenagers under the age of 18, living in the EU. It brings together:

• existing children’s parliaments;
• children’s councils (at the local, city or municipality level);   
• ombudspersons for children, and;   
• all organisations supporting children in being heard.

It is a safe space for children to be heard at the EU level, while improving child participation at European, national, and local levels.

The platform helps children understand the European Union, children's rights, democracy, and policymaking. It empowers children to make informed decisions about their participation and views. 

For example:

• Consultations on specific policy/legal issues start by working with children to ensure their understanding of the themes being discussed and the policy-making process.    
• Consultations identify what children need to know and then address them in ways that are accessible and age-appropriate;  
• Children from member organisations actively contribute to designing these materials;   
• The resources are openly available on the Platform's public website for use by all children, organisations, and stakeholders involved in these issues.

More on how to become a member 

The Children's Panel, consisting of 10 to 20 children, plays a key role in shaping the activities of the Platform. The Children's Panel has a consultative, co-creation and validation role.

Children on the Panel were nominated and/or selected from Save the Children and SOS Children's Villages’ existing child participation networks and groups in 14 Member States.

16 children, aged 14-17 years old, from Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Denmark, Romania, Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Latvia make up the current Panel.

Objectives of the Panel:  

• Contribute to and provide consultation on the organisation of the Platform’s activities;
• Consult on the Platform's Work Plan;
• Consult on the approach, format and thematic priorities of consultations;
• Co-create child-friendly policies for the Platform;    
• Consult on child-friendly legal and policy documents;
• Consult on aspects of the Platform's communications and messaging.

As the Panel plays a crucial role in shaping the Platform, their voices need to be heard clearly. This is ensured through facilitation by the Child Protection Officers.

The Advisory Board consists of children from member organisations and adults from the European Commission, European Parliament, EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Council of Europe, Children’s Rights Action Group and UNICEF.

The Board meets twice a year to guide the Platform’s development and ongoing improvement, and also review and approve the Work Plan.

Objectives of the Advisory Board:

• Provides advice and expertise, discussing and approving work plans, reports, and key documents.
• Engages in activities like consultations with children, creating child-friendly documents, and promoting Platform communication.

Working Principles of the Advisory Board:    

• Inclusive and meaningful discussions, with equal opportunities for all members to express opinions.
• Decisions require unanimous agreement, with final approval from Commission representatives.
• Accountability and responsiveness with clear presentation of objectives and feedback.
   
• Advisory Board meeting report, October 2023 (in English)
• Rules of procedure document (in English)

The Platform Secretariat works under expert guidance and advice of Prof. Laura Lundy and Prof. Cath Larkins, and consists of ICF S.A., Risk & Policy Analysts, Save the Children and SOS Children’s Villages.

The Secretariat includes experts and professionals in policy development and delivery, child rights and child participation. It also includes special roles to protect and empower children who participate in the Platform activities:

• Child Protection Officers (CPOs) – child participation and safeguarding experts. CPOs organise the Children’s Panel and their meetings to align with the Platform’s 'lifecycle' and upcoming priorities. CPOs collaborate with the Secretariat and Partners to coordinate priorities and discussion topics for Panel meetings, and share the results of Panel meetings with the Secretariat and Partners.
    
• Child Empowerment Officers (CEOs) – work at the national level of the Platform, in individual Member States, reaching out to child-focused organisations that may be excluded. CEOs play a crucial role in creating Platform activities, and to facilitate and coordinate consultations on policy and legal issues with children at the national level.
  
  The CEOs support other activities of the Platform, such as reviewing child-friendly documents on policy/legal issues in national languages; and ensuring that overlooked organisations working with children are supported to join the Platform as members.