Central authority with national coordinating role

A national unit assigned to coordinate responsibilities promotes and ensures coordination among central government departments, different provinces and regions, central and other levels of government, government, civil society and the private sector providers. It also contributes to effective implementation of laws and policies. In decentralised systems the need for cooperation and coordination is even more vital.

Central authority with national coordinating role (More information on Authorities having coordination responsibility at national level, by EU Member State can be found below)

Note:No information available for Austria, Luxembourg and Poland.

Source: FRA, 2014

Key findings

• In principle, the ministry assigned the main responsibility for child protection holds a national coordinating and monitoring role; subordinate administrative structures, such as national authorities or departments, assume the daily task load.
• In many EU Member States coordination is challenging because of overlapping roles and responsibilities, and the failure to delineate these roles and responsibilities clearly.

In 10 Member States (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia and Spain) coordination responsibilities, including monitoring, lie with the ministry that primarily holds responsibility for child protection. Within the ministry, a specific department-secretariat is typically developed for this purpose.

Thirteen Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden) established a distinct authority to coordinate and often monitor implementation of national policy and legislation. 

In the United Kingdom, coordination at national level is lacking. Specialised departments within the lead ministry in each individual region are established, assigned with coordination duties.

Source: FRA, 2014