For all children and teenagers to have happy and healthy lives, some need extra support in areas like access to education, healthcare, nutrition or housing.
To help with this, EU countries have national plans, guided by the European Child Guarantee. The EU is reviewing the Guarantee and plans, so it was important to hear from young EU citizens under the age of 18 on how they think things are going in their countries.
Who did we hear from?
- 41,736 children aged 8-17
- from all EU countries
- through an online survey, 26 focus groups and 45 individual interviews
- 52% girls, 43% boys, 2% other, 3% didn't want to say
While many children recognise that services exist and that progress has been made, access is not always experienced equally, and equal rights do not always translate into equal chances in everyday life.
- Poverty limits children's participation in everyday activities and creates shame and exclusion, even where services exist
- Children describe discrimination linked to disability, ethnicity, migration, gender, and other differences
- Children said that passive or inconsistent adult responses undermine their safety and sense of belonging
- Trusted adults, mental health support, and environments where children are listened to were described as being central to feeling included
- When receiving support, to be treated with respect, feel safe, have their privacy protected, and not be singled out
- Affordable, reduced or subsidised costs so that participation in school activities, and access to healthcare, housing and food do not only depend on family income
- Support that is practical, timely and consistent, especially for children in poverty, with disabilities, from minority backgrounds, migrant children, and young people leaving care
- To be listened to in decisions that affect their lives in schools, communities, and services – in meaningful and inclusive ways that lead to visible change
Life at school
- What children said
- Not all children benefit equally from school life - costs for trips, activities, and equipment are a key barrier, even when schooling is formally free
- Learning support is uneven, there is pressure linked to tests and exams, large class sizes, and inconsistent responses to bullying and discrimination. These affect children’s ability to learn, feel safe, and take part fully in school life
- There are delays and gaps in support for children with disabilities and additional needs, and difficulties turning formal plans into everyday practice
- What children asked for
- Stronger action against bullying, discrimination, and unsafe conditions in schools (and also in healthcare settings, homes, neighbourhoods)
- Using schools as a key route to support and prevention
- Services such as counsellors, nurses, and teaching support are consistently available for learning, access to healthcare, food, and to provide children with access to trusted adults
I suffered from bullying, and I don't want others to go through the traumatic experience that it is. So, to improve the school environment, we should teach children from an early age that bullying is wrong and that it can hurt others around us.
Healthcare, housing and food
- Access to healthcare
- Long waiting times, travel barriers, and costs for services such as dentists and therapies worsen problems and are increasing inequality
- Mental health support is unevenly available and is slow to access, including within schools
- Children often said they do not always know where to go for help, especially if parents cannot act
- Adequate housing
- Children described housing as a basic foundation for safety, dignity, health, and learning
- Their main concerns are affordability pressures, rent and utility costs, risks of homelessness, and young people leaving care without sufficient housing support
- Some children had concerns about insecurity, poor housing conditions, and unequal access, particularly for children in poverty, in alternative care, or from marginalised groups
- Poor housing means cold homes, damp, unsafe buildings, overcrowding, and lack of privacy
- Healthy food
- Children described access to healthy food as essential, but not accessible for all children every day
- They voiced concerns about gaps in relation to free school meals, food provision for older students, and access during school closures
- Children linked unequal access to healthy food to household income, the higher cost of healthier foods, and limited or poor quality of food provided at school
- The quality, variety, and taste of food were described as affecting whether children actually eat the food provided
Every child deserves a home, internet, food, resources, healthcare, and education regardless of their ethnic, religious, or other group, but not every child gets them - this needs to change.
What happens next?
During 2026:
- The full results from the survey will be available on this webpage (in English)
- There will also be a child-friendly version of the results (in all EU languages)
- The input provided by children will be reviewed together with information from adults from each EU country. This will be used to review the European Child Guarantee and Anti-poverty Strategy, and improve the national plans in all EU countries.
- There will be a child-friendly version of the Guarantee so that all EU children can easily understand what the EU is doing about poverty and social inclusion (in all EU languages).
If you are under 18 and need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, please speak to a trusted adult or call a helpline for children in your country. They can get you the help and support you need.