At the conference in Antwerp, experts in the field of children’s and youth policy and children’s rights from various governments joined representatives of national, European and international NGOs.

They debated three important topics for the Belgian EU-presidency:

1. The European and international policy agenda in the field of children’s and youth policy and children’s rights.
2. The EU-strategy on the Rights of the Child which is slated for November 2010.
3. ‘Early childhood facilities’ (ECEC, Early Childhood Education and Care).

Policy agendas on children’s and youth policy and Children’s Rights

The participants at the conference jointly arrived at five conclusions:

• Children’s rights often overemphasise protection, youth policy often overemphasises participation. This distinction should be nuanced.
• There is a need for more scientific research in order to support the policy.
• There is a need for more collaboration between the European Union, the Council of Europe, the United Nations and also within the individual intergovernmental organisations.
• Childhood poverty cannot be solved through better support for the parents, but only through tackling the structural problems that cause poverty.
• Participation is more than consultation: children need to be involved in the policy with information that is appropriate for their age.

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key messages