Report on European Child Well-being and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent Eurofound analysis indicates mixed progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concerning children in Europe. While advancements have been made in reducing child poverty (SDG 1) and expanding access to early childhood education (SDG 4), these gains are jeopardised by significant challenges. Declines in child mental health (SDG 3) and educational performance are linked to systemic issues within the child services sector. The report underscores that poor working conditions for professionals, a direct contradiction to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), are critically undermining the quality and accessibility of services, thereby hindering comprehensive progress across the 2030 Agenda.

Progress Towards Sustainable Development Goals in Child Well-being

SDG 1: No Poverty – Advances in Child Poverty Reduction

Europe has demonstrated positive momentum towards achieving SDG 1 targets for its youngest citizens. A notable reduction in the at-risk-of-poverty-or-social-exclusion (AROPE) rate for children has been observed over the last decade.

• In 2024, the AROPE rate for children in the EU was 24.1%.
• This represents a decrease of over 3 percentage points since 2015.
• Despite this progress, the child poverty rate remains higher than that of the general population (20.9%), indicating a continued need for targeted interventions to achieve SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

SDG 4: Quality Education – Increased Access to Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

Significant strides have been made in expanding access to foundational learning, a key component of SDG 4. The participation rate in formal ECEC for children under three is increasing, which is vital for long-term developmental outcomes.

• In 2024, 39.2% of children under the age of three were enrolled in formal childcare.
• This growing engagement supports the target of ensuring all children have access to quality early childhood development and pre-primary education.

Persistent Challenges Impeding SDG Attainment

SDG 3 & SDG 4: Declining Well-being and Educational Outcomes

Despite progress in access, the quality of outcomes related to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 is under threat. The report identifies concerning trends that challenge the holistic well-being of children.

1. Mental Health Crisis: There is a documented decline in children’s mental health, with unmet healthcare needs in 2024 remaining above pre-pandemic levels.
2. Educational Performance Drop: A decrease in educational performance has been noted, suggesting that increased access to education is not translating into improved learning outcomes.

SDG 8: Decent Work – Critical Deficiencies in the Child Services Workforce

The report identifies the failure to ensure decent work for professionals in child-facing sectors as a primary obstacle to achieving broader SDG targets. Poor working conditions directly impact the quality of care and education provided to children, creating a bottleneck for progress on SDGs 1, 3, and 4.

• Precarious Employment: Healthcare professionals experience high levels of burnout and precarious conditions, leading to staff shortages. ECEC workers often receive wages near the minimum wage and are employed on insecure contracts.
• Lack of Training and Progression: Insufficient training opportunities and limited career progression pathways devalue the profession and compromise service quality.
• Impact on Service Quality: These workforce challenges directly affect the quality, consistency, and accessibility of health and education services essential for child development.

Policy Recommendations for Accelerating SDG Progress

Strengthening Institutional Frameworks and Investment (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

To ensure the long-term well-being of children and make substantive progress on the SDGs, a renewed policy focus is required. The report urges policymakers to leverage existing frameworks and commit to sustained public investment, aligning with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

1. Utilise Policy Instruments: Actively implement initiatives like the European Child Guarantee and the European Education Area to drive improvements.
2. Prioritise Workforce Investment: Commit to sustained public investment in the child services workforce. This includes ensuring fair pay, promoting work-life balance, and providing adequate training, thereby upholding the principles of SDG 8.
3. Ensure Effective Funding: Establish clear and transparent budgets that are proven to reach frontline workers, guaranteeing that investments translate into high-quality, accessible services for all children.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on child well-being, education, and the working conditions of service professionals. The following SDGs are relevant:

• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article directly discusses the issue of “child poverty” and the “risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE)” in the EU, highlighting efforts to reduce it.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The report’s findings on the “decline in children’s mental health,” “unmet healthcare needs,” and the “precarious working conditions” (including burnout and work-life balance) of healthcare professionals connect directly to this goal.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: A central theme of the article is “early childhood education and care (ECEC),” including participation rates, educational performance, and the need for “high-quality education,” which are all core components of SDG 4.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article emphasizes the poor working conditions of professionals in child services, citing “low pay,” “insecure contracts,” “limited career progression,” and “precarious working conditions” for ECEC and healthcare workers. This aligns with the goal of achieving decent work for all.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • Target 1.2: “By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.” The article’s focus on reducing the rate of children “at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE)” directly corresponds to this target.

2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: “By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.” The article’s concern over the “decline in children’s mental health” directly relates to the promotion of mental health and well-being.
   • Target 3.c: “Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce…” The article’s discussion of “burnout,” “brain drain,” and the need for better training and working conditions for healthcare professionals aligns with the goal of retaining a skilled health workforce.

3. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.2: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.” The article’s extensive focus on “early childhood education and care (ECEC)” and the data on participation rates directly address this target.
   • Target 4.c: “By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers…” The call for “improvements to the working conditions and training of the professionals” in education and ECEC supports this target’s aim of ensuring a qualified and supported teaching workforce.

4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.” The article highlights how ECEC workers “frequently earn near minimum wage with insecure contracts,” which is a direct challenge to the principle of decent work and fair pay outlined in this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions several specific quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• For Target 1.2: The article provides a direct indicator: “24.1% of children in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE)” in 2024. This percentage is a key metric for tracking progress against child poverty.
• For Target 3.4: An implied indicator is the rate of “unmet healthcare needs,” which the article notes was higher in 2024 than pre-pandemic levels, suggesting a negative trend in health service accessibility and well-being.
• For Target 4.2: The article offers a precise indicator for participation in early education: “39.2% of children under three years old participated in formal childcare in 2024.” Additionally, the “drop in educational performance” is mentioned as a qualitative indicator of the quality of education.
• For Target 8.5: The article provides qualitative indicators for the lack of decent work, such as ECEC workers who “earn near minimum wage with insecure contracts” and healthcare professionals facing “poor work-life balance and burnout.” These descriptions serve as measures of working conditions.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: mynewsdesk.com