Empowering whose future? A European policy analysis of children in energy poverty.

Children experience distinct impacts on their mental and physical health as well as their educational attainment as a result of living in energy poverty, according to multiple sources. International guidelines, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, underline the right of every child to an adequate standard of living and the need for all policies to consider the specific needs of children. This paper aims to understand the extent to which energy policies take explicit account of children in energy poverty and endeavour to address their distinct needs and the impacts they experience. The investigation is based on an analysis of EU-SILC data and policy documents across the 28 countries that (at the end of 2019) formed the European Union. The analysis reveals that children are mostly only considered within the wider family context, with larger families tending to receive greater support, despite evidence that single-parent families are at higher risk of energy poverty. Children are characterised as passive subjects in energy policy; their perspectives and needs are not considered in policy development.

Energy Poverty and Children: A EU Policy Analysis

The paper examines the extent to which energy policies in the European Union consider children in energy poverty and their specific needs. The analysis reveals that children are mostly only considered within the wider family context, with larger families tending to receive greater support, despite evidence that single-parent families are at higher risk of energy poverty. Children are characterised as passive subjects in energy policy, and their perspectives and needs are not considered in policy development. The paper also finds that there is a lack of sufficient data to identify children living in energy poverty, and that EU-SILC data indicates that the incidence of energy poverty is higher among household categories with dependent children. The analysis points to the influence of family composition on children's risk of being impacted by energy poverty, supporting the need for specific policies.

This research is important because it highlights the impact of energy poverty on children, including their mental and physical health and educational attainment. It also emphasizes the need for energy policies to consider the specific needs of children and address their distinct impacts. The research is based on an analysis of EU-SILC data and policy documents across the 28 countries that formed the European Union, providing a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which energy policies take explicit account of children in energy poverty.

Key Takeaways:

1. Energy poverty has distinct impacts on children's mental and physical health and educational attainment.

2. Energy policies must consider the specific needs of children and address their distinct impacts.

3. The analysis reveals that children are mostly only considered within the wider family context, with larger families tending to receive greater support, despite evidence that single-parent families are at higher risk of energy poverty.

4. Children are characterised as passive subjects in energy policy; their perspectives and needs are not considered in policy development.