Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence | Ministerio de Juventud e Infancia

The Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence, within the framework established in articles 147 to 152 of Law 40/2015, of October 1, on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector, is the cooperation body between the General State Administration, the Autonomous Communities, the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and the Local Administration, through the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, in the implementation of policies for the protection and development of childhood and adolescence.

The Sectoral Conference will be based at the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, which will also provide whatever is necessary for the proper functioning of the services, technical support to the members of the Sectoral Conference, and management of its Secretariat.

Report of the 2024 Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence

Purposes

The purpose of the Sectoral Conference is to develop cooperation, coordination, and collaboration between public administrations regarding the protection and development of children's and adolescents' rights, and to achieve maximum coherence and integration in the application of the decisions made in this area, without prejudice to the work carried out by other sectoral conferences.

In general terms

Pursue the coherence and complementarity of activities carried out by public administrations in the area of protection and development of children's and adolescents' rights.
Achieve a higher degree of efficiency and effectiveness in the identification, formulation, and execution of policies, programs, and projects promoted by various public administrations in childhood and adolescence matters.

Participate in the development, implementation, and monitoring of state plans and programs that are articulated for executing policies within the scope of protection and development of children's and adolescents' rights, and follow-up and evaluate the implementation of existing rules and plans.

Be informed about draft laws and government regulations that directly affect the competence of other Public Administrations, or as provided in the sectoral regulations, through its Plenary or through the Sectoral Commission or working group mandated for this purpose.

Establish and promote specific cooperation strategies and plans between public administrations in the corresponding sectoral matter, avoiding duplications and achieving better efficiency of public services.

Exchange information on programs planned by different Public Administrations, in the exercise of their powers, that may affect other Administrations.

Serve as a channel for coordination with public entities for children's protection regarding children's rights policies, to consult with them on these matters and to adopt agreements, if necessary.

Set objective criteria for the territorial distribution of affected budgetary credits and follow up on programs developed by the Autonomous Communities charged to these credits, as well as their distribution at the beginning of the fiscal year, according to the provisions in Law 47/2003, of November 26, General Budgetary Law.

Establish mechanisms for exchanging best practices and information for studies, especially statistical content, surveys, research, and national scope campaigns related to the protection and development of childhood and adolescence rights.

Provide information to the autonomous communities on international treaties and actions of international organizations in the protection and development of children's and adolescents' rights.

Analyze and propose issues that require the adoption of agreements by the General State Administration with Public Entities, under the provisions of the International Adoption Law.

Approve the distribution of the maximum number of international adoption files and the basic model of the endorsed contract between accredited organizations and people offering for adoption.

Any others that contribute to ensuring the necessary cooperation, coherence, and effectiveness and, where appropriate, the articulation of activities at different administrative levels.

Specific to comprehensive protection of children and adolescents against violence

The participation of Public Administrations in developing the Strategy for the Eradication of Violence against Childhood and Adolescence, which will be promoted by the ministerial department responsible for children's policies, in line with the Spanish Strategy for Children and Adolescents' Rights.

Submitting to the Government the proposal to approve the Strategy for the Eradication of Violence against Childhood and Adolescence, accompanied by an economic report where competent centers will identify budgetary applications to finance it.

Agree on the necessary means to ensure the effective exercise of the rights provided in Title I of Organic Law 8/2021, of June 4, for the Integral Protection of Childhood and Adolescence against violence.

Agree on the requirements and conditions to ensure the existence and support of electronic communication means, such as toll-free help lines for children and adolescents, and their awareness by civil society.

Agree on appropriate mechanisms to ensure confidentiality, protection, and security for those who have informed authorities of violence situations against children and adolescents.

Agree on evidence-based assessable information campaigns and actions aimed at raising society's awareness about children's rights, and specific campaigns for promoting safe and responsible use of the Internet, from an opportunity utilization perspective, incorporating children's perspectives and opinions.

Establish plans and programs for eradicating violence against children and adolescents that include specific measures in family, educational, health, social services, new technologies, sports and leisure, and Security Forces and Bodies, within the violence eradication strategy framework.

Participate in developing, implementing, and monitoring initial and continuous training programs for professionals whose activity requires regular contact with children and adolescents, aiming to detect violence early and communicate it following articles 15 and 16 of Organic Law 8/2021, of June 4, for the Integral Protection of Childhood and Adolescence against violence.

Agree on recommendations to ensure that children and adolescents victims of violent crimes, and in any case of sexual nature crimes, trafficking, or gender violence, receive comprehensive care for their recovery through specialized services.

Any others that contribute to ensuring the development of Organic Law 8/2021, of June 4, for the Integral Protection of Childhood and Adolescence against violence, and to agree on the necessary measures to guarantee its effective implementation.

Composition

The Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence will be structured in the following organs:

The Plenary.
The Sectoral Commission on Childhood and Adolescence, as a general support and advisory body.
The Working Groups established.

Regulations for the operation of the Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence

The Plenary

The Plenary of the Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence comprises:
1. Presidency: corresponding to the holder of the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, who also holds the presidency of the Sectoral Conference.
2. First Vice-Presidency: one of the holders of the Councils of the Autonomous Communities and the Cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
3. Second Vice-Presidency: the holder of the High Commissioner against Child Poverty.
4. Members:
  1. The holders of the Councils of the Autonomous Communities responsible for policies for the protection and development of childhood and adolescence;
  2. A representative from each of the Basque Provincial Councils, chosen by them, one for each of the Balearic Islands Councils, and one for each insular Cabildo, with voice but no vote.
  3. A representative, with at least the rank of director general, from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Equality, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, with voice but no vote.
  4. The holder of the Directorate General of Children's and Adolescents' Rights, with voice but no vote.
  5. The holders of the Directorate Generals of the Youth Institute, Family Diversity and Social Services, and Disability Rights, with voice but no vote.
  6. A representative of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, who must be an elected position.
  7. Secretariat: the holder of the Technical General Secretariat of the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, with voice but no vote.

The Sectoral Commission on Childhood and Adolescence

The Sectoral Commission comprises:
1. On behalf of the General State Administration: the holder of the Secretariat of State for Youth and Childhood and the holder of the Head of Cabinet of the Secretariat of State for Youth and Childhood.
2. On behalf of the Autonomous Communities and the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla: a representative from each of them, at least, the rank of head of the General Subdirectorate responsible for childhood and adolescence.
3. Additionally, a representative designated by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces will attend the sessions of the Sectoral Commission.
The Presidency may convene, extraordinarily, on its own initiative or at the proposal of any members of the Commission, senior officials from the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, from other ministerial departments, and from other Public Administrations, with voice but no vote, when the nature of the matters to be discussed justifies or advises their presence.
The holder of the Secretariat of State for Youth and Childhood will hold the Presidency of the Sectoral Commission, who may be substituted, in cases of absence, vacancy, or illness, by the holder of the Head of Cabinet of the Secretariat of State for Youth and Childhood.
The holder of the Directorate General of Children's and Adolescents' Rights will assume the Secretariat of the Sectoral Commission, with voice but no vote, who may be substituted, in cases of absence, vacancy, or illness, by a public employee from the Secretariat of State for Youth and Childhood designated by the holder of the Secretariat of State for Youth and Childhood. Furthermore, the holder of the Undersecretariat of the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, or its dependent bodies, may attend the meetings when the matter to be discussed falls within their competence.
The Sectoral Commission will be considered validly constituted when the people holding the Presidency and Secretariat and at least the majority of the representatives of the Autonomous Communities and Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla are present.
Both representatives of the General State Administration and those of the Autonomous Communities may be assisted at each meeting, with voice but no vote, by technical or expert staff on the topics to be discussed, designated by them.

Article 13. Functions

The Sectoral Commission will exercise the following functions:
1. The preparation of the meetings of the Sectoral Conference for addressing the issues included in the agenda of the summons.
2. The follow-up of agreements adopted by the Sectoral Conference.
3. The follow-up and evaluation of working groups constituted.
4. Any other functions entrusted to it by the Sectoral Conference.
The Sectoral Commission will meet, in any case, before the meetings of the Sectoral Conference on Childhood and Adolescence, without prejudice that it may be convened more frequently to reinforce cooperation between the General State Administration and the Autonomous Communities in the field of protection and development policies for childhood and adolescence.
The Sectoral Commission on Childhood and Adolescence will be governed, to the extent applicable, by the procedural rules provided for the Sectoral Conference.