The project Investing in Children's Services, Improving Outcomes focuses on the five types of services addressed in the European Recommendation: reducing inequality at a young age by investing in early childhood education and care; improving the impact of education systems on equal opportunities; improving health systems to address the needs of disadvantaged children; providing children with a safe, adequate housing and living environment; enhancing family support and the quality of alternative care settings.

The peer reviews bring together representatives from national child welfare agencies, directors of children's services at local level, national government and third sector services to analyze the organization of children's services in their countries:

1. The first peer review took place in Dublin in May 2013 and looked at the organization of children's services in Ireland, France, Sweden and Bulgaria.
2. The second peer review took place in Barcelona in June 2014 and looked at children's services in Catalonia in Spain, Scotland in the UK, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.
3. A third peer review will take place in 2015 to look at five more countries: Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Portugal and Romania.

At the third peer review of our project 'Investing in Children Services, Improving Outcomes', we are looking at the organization of children services in five more countries, Hungary, Portugal, Italy, Romania and Belgium, with a view to identify gaps and present recommendations as to how services may be developed in line with the European Commission's Recommendation on 'Investing in Children'.

The event will be organized in close cooperation the General Directorate of Social Affairs and Child Protection in Hungary, which is an ESN member and brings together delegations with representatives from national, regional and local government, public and not-for-profit children's services from Hungary , Portugal, Italy, Romania and Belgium.

Italian group is composed by the Lazio Region Department of Family and Children and the IRPPS

Research groups: Antonella Ciocia, Antonietta Bellisari, Maria Girolama Caruso, Rita Lucidi