20
March
2025

Towards Integrated Child Protection Systems - Challenges, promising practices and ways forward

In recent years, the EU has taken steps to improve child protection, yet some Member States do not have an integrated approach. FRA first produced an overview of child protection systems in the EU in 2014, and an update in 2023. The data is published in FRA’s ‘Mapping of Child Protection Systems in the EU – Update 2023’. This report completements the 2023 update with comparative analysis and provides greater detail on children in vulnerable situations, care and the participation of children in matters affecting them. It also offers guidance on creating comprehensive frameworks that ensure that children’s rights are respected.
Overview

This report presents the findings of research conducted by the FRA on existing child protection systems across all EU Member States. The 27 national reports, commissioned from Franet, the agency’s multidisciplinary research network, are available online on the agency’s website. These reports offer a wealth of additional data beyond what is included here.

In this report:

  • Key findings and ways forward
  • Introduction
  1. A rights-based approach to child protection
  2. Governance, coordination structures and services
  3. Accountability, data collection, impact assessment and monitoring
  4. Child participation
  5. Financial and human resources
  6. Prevention, identification and referral
  7. The care process
  • Conclusions