Coalition Child Standard
Children are often forgotten in mobility policies. However, a child perspective just makes for safer and livable streets. Mobiel 21 builds a coalition around a Children's Standard that focuses on safe routes, child-friendly neighbourhoods and participation of children and young people. That way, we make mobility better for everyone.
Mobility through the eyes of children
Children and young people are not just little adults. They move differently, think differently and experience public space differently. Yet our streets, squares and cycle paths are often designed without their lifestyles in mind. And that has consequences. Children experience how unsafe traffic can be. As a result, they go out less and less independently, are often taken by car, and exercise less than is good for them.
This can be done differently. A traffic-safe and child-friendly environment is not only good for children. It is good for everyone. What is safe, legible and accessible for a child is immediately so for everyone, including the elderly, the less mobile and other vulnerable road users. High time, therefore, for more child perspective in our traffic.
Waar loopt het mis?
Coalition Child Standard: Big steps for small feet
To make our public space more child-friendly and embed the child perspective in mobility policy, Mobiel 21 works together with policymakers, schools, parents, experts and many other organisations. Our starting point is the Child Standard. This is a call, launched by the Gezinsbond in 2019, for every policy choice in mobility to think about its impact on children and young people.
By putting that standard on the map together, Mobiel 21 and its supporters want to inspire policymakers to work towards a mobility system in which every child can move around actively, safely and independently. Even over longer distances.
Our allies in the Coalition Child Standard
The child standard in practice
The Coalition Kindnorm wants to take a radically different approach to public space and mobility. With the definition of the Kindnorm, they give policymakers tools so that they can take into account the possibilities and limitations of children when planning, designing, setting up and managing our public space and mobility infrastructure. Key principles here are:
- Open the door to child-friendly environments
- Create a network of safe cycling and walking routes
- Let children participate
- Inform children
- Resist heavy traffic
- Give children exercise space
- Help children get well on their way
For children and young people, these principles are not extras. They are essential prerequisites for being able and allowed to move actively, safely and independently from an early age.
VIPs on bikes get exercise space
Hoe laat je zien dat kinderen eigenlijk weinig plaats krijgen in het verkeer? Met een opvallende guerrilla-actie die niemand zomaar voorbijrijdt, natuurlijk! Tijdens de ochtendspits trokken 10 leerlingen uit het derde leerjaar, geflankeerd door 7 stoere bodyguards, de drukke Leuvense straten op richting hun school. Fietshelm op, rugzak aan – en alle blikken op hen gericht. Missie geslaagd 😎🚲💪
Join the Coalition Child Standard
Implementing the child standard is a shared responsibility. Policymakers, study agencies, traffic experts, parents, schools, police zones and other mobility actors can each contribute from their role to an environment where children feel safe and free to go out.
Wondering how you or your organisation can contribute to the Coalition Child Standard? Or are you looking for good examples, research, insights and information on the topic? Contact us and get involved! Then we will work together on child-friendly mobility.
More initiatives for more child perspective
Cycling school XS
School transport plans
Traffic Education Routes
Car-free school days
School route maps
School on the Counter
Safe school environments and routes
We help build safe and adventurous public spaces in which children and young people can, want and are allowed to move independently. To school, friends, the sports club, the park... in all directions.