We, adults, may no longer get excited about eating cake, meeting flying dragons, or receiving stickers for the right answers. But what a child’s dream!
Yet, sometimes these simple joys remind us of our own childhoods, of the wonder and curiosity that shaped who we are. And in those moments of remembrance, we are reminded of a vital truth: every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safe, supported, and seen.
Childhood is fleeting, but its effects last a lifetime. Ensuring that every child has access to the support they need today is one of the most powerful investments we can make in the adults they will become tomorrow.
First, mitigating child poverty
In 2024, 24.2% of children in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, 3.9 percentage points higher than the overall population. Child poverty is not inevitable, but the result of political choices, structural inequalities, and chronic underinvestment, as Francesca Pisanu, Policy Officer at Eurochild, explains.
“Poverty reflects how resources, opportunities, and power are distributed in society. And this is why to really tackle it, we need to have an intersectional approach, which actually takes into account those sources of discrimination,” she says. “Tackling poverty is not an act of charity. It is actually linked to upholding the rights of the child.”
Poverty experienced in early childhood has a ripple effect across the lifespan. Mitigating poverty is not simply about providing financial support, but about creating the conditions for children to grow, learn, and flourish.
In Ghent, families often struggle not because services are lacking, but because the system is complex and difficult to navigate. To address this, the city is piloting a secure, citizen-controlled data vault to allow social services to proactively support families, reduce administrative burdens, and ensure no child misses out on the benefits and support they are entitled to.
Barcelona has taken a holistic approach, designing city-wide strategies to combat child poverty that encompass social protection, early childhood education, inclusive leisure and culture, health and nutrition, and child-friendly urban spaces.
In Zagreb, free public transport for children under 18 reduces social exclusion, while investment in early childhood education ensures that vulnerable children have equal opportunities to develop and succeed.
Second, creating safe spaces free from violence
Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana, Boštjan Koritnik, underscores the importance of keeping children safe from violence. “Any violence or deprivation a child experiences transfers to their adulthood,” Koritnik says. “To change or improve the city’s culture, we have to start up front, at the start of one lifespan.”
Tackling poverty is not an act of charity. It is actually linked to upholding the rights of the child
School playgrounds, while central to physical activity and social interaction, can also become sites of peer violence if left unsupervised. Ljubljana is working to address bullying when school playgrounds remain open after school hours by recruiting supervisors while coordinating across city departments to maintain safety and accessibility.
Similarly, in Gothenburg, 23 schools have been transformed into safe spaces where children can gather, connect and participate in free after-school activities built around their own needs and ideas.
Third, protecting children’s mental health
Mental health challenges among children are growing, exacerbated by social pressures, digital exposure, and the lingering effects of the pandemic.
Helsinki has developed social and emotional learning frameworks and inclusive playgrounds where children and parents can build trust, belonging, and resilience. Multilingual educators and family engagement programs support migrant families, promoting inclusion and reducing isolation.
Investing in children’s emotional well-being is as essential as providing access to healthcare and education. A recurring lesson from successful initiatives is that services work best when integrated. Psychologists, educators, social workers, and healthcare professionals collaborating in multidisciplinary teams can respond comprehensively to children’s needs.
Fourth, putting in place integrated services and multidisciplinary teams
In Ljubljana, psychological services are embedded within social services, ensuring families receive as much support as necessary. Youth centres like Young Dragons offer safe, inclusive spaces for creativity, sports, and peer learning. Mobile teams provide on-site mental health guidance, reaching teenagers who might not otherwise seek help.
However, as the Director of the family centre Mala Ulica Eva Kreslin notes, “focusing on healthcare professionals and education will never work. We need to focus on prevention.” Her comment reflects a wider recognition that sustainable mental health support requires proactive, community-based measures rather than reactive interventions.
Any violence or deprivation a child experiences transfers to their adulthood
Similarly, in Helsinki, mental health interventions are paired with inclusive educational programmes and community activities. In Ghent and Barcelona, data-driven and cross-sectoral approaches ensure that services are coordinated, reducing administrative barriers and enabling timely, effective support. Yet the shortage of trained professionals remains a pressing concern.
Adriana Masgras, Policy and Project Officer at the European Social Network, highlights the importance of tackling the workforce shortage through awareness raising campaigns showing that social work can be a rewarding career and “involving professionals from different disciplines such as education or healthcare,” ensuring a more integrated and resilient support network. In Ireland, for instance, workers from Roma communities and abroad are contributing to more diverse, culturally sensitive teams.
Integrated services also strengthen trust. When social services, schools, healthcare providers, and community partners act as a single team, children and families experience support as consistent, accessible, and non-stigmatising.
“Working in teams is much more efficient and beneficial for the child in the long term,” says Mateja Hudoklin, Head of the Centre for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Ljubljana.
Cities as catalysts for change
“Cities can ensure integrated approaches and serve as incubators,” adds Pisaru. “They are close to children and families, they know their needs, they can play a role in collecting data at the local level.”
Ljubljana illustrates how cities can combine accessibility, engagement, and multidisciplinary care. Open playgrounds, youth hubs, and embedded psychological support create environments where children feel safe, valued, and included. Participatory urban planning in Barcelona ensures children’s voices are heard; Zagreb’s investment in early childhood education provides equal opportunities; Helsinki’s inclusive playgrounds strengthen family and community cohesion.
“Local authorities are central for ensuring access to free, quality services for vulnerable children, including education, health care, nutrition, housing and child care,” Emphasises Koritnik. “Coordinated cooperation with national governments and stakeholders, and the European Commission can strengthen the impact and effectiveness of these measures at local level.”
Cities do not work in isolation. Knowledge exchange, shared experiences, and collaborative learning help municipalities innovate and refine their approaches.
Working in teams is much more efficient and beneficial for the child in the long term
The recent Eurocities Social Innovation Lab hosted by the municipality of Ljubljana highlighted the importance of sharing best practices, from integrated mental health programs to safe playground initiatives, inspiring new ideas and reinforcing the collective responsibility of all levels of governments to protect childhood.
Every measure, from mental health services to inclusive play spaces, represents a commitment to the children of today and the resilient, thriving adults of tomorrow.
Cities know that investing in children is an investment in society.
