Response to the European Commission’s European Care Strategy and the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on the Revision of the Barcelona Targets on Early Childhood Education and Care
The First Years, First Priority campaign welcomes the European Commission’s European Care Strategy, its proposals for a Council Recommendation on Long Term Care and for a Council Recommendation on the revision of the Barcelona Targets on early childhood education and care (ECEC), published on 7 September 2022.
We urge Member States to:
- Adopt the Commission’s Proposal for a Council Recommendation on the revised Barcelona targets on ECEC and develop ambitious national strategies for its implementation
- Fully implement the European Child Guarantee and ensure access to quality ECEC for all children in need, up to school entry age, in line with the revised Barcelona targets
- Ensure the meaningful engagement of European and national civil society organisations, parents, families, caregivers and children, in the implementation of the EU Care Strategy and the revised targets on ECEC
- Ensure additional investment and support in family and community-based care (in line with the Guidelines on the Transition from Institutional to Community based Care) to enable children to grow up in quality family-based care, including their biological families, extended families or foster care, and avoid family separation and institutionalisation
