Designing for financial access: building towards financial capability for children aged 7 to 12

Abstract

In today’s financial landscape, children grow up in a world where managing money is increasingly digital, seamless, and less tangible. While this creates convenience for parents, children lack direct access to their digital savings accounts, creating a gap that limits their early financial awareness and autonomy. At the same time, traditional banks face growing competition to capture the attention of younger generations early on, making it vital to establish brand relevance before consumer habits become fixed.

This thesis explores how it can create an environment for children where they can explore being financially autonomous within a safe environment. The goal of this thesis is to create a proposition that Rabobank can implement in the near future in order to attract more clients of younger generations (aged 7 to 12). The project is guided by the following research question: How can we encourage early financial participation for Dutch children?

This project follows a triple diamond approach, switching between diverging and converging phases. To answer the research question, multiple methods were applied. Desk research and internal analysis provided insight into the financial landscape and Rabobank's strategic positioning. In addition, methodological
combining comprehensive triangulation, literature research, workshops, and deep qualitative user testing, enabled a deep understanding of parental and children's pain points, values, and needs.

The findings reveal a readiness gap within Dutch households: while essential financial habits are defined by age 7, parents routinely delay financial socialisation due to a lack of information and tools. While children aged 7 to 12 begin to understand logical rules, parents play a decisive role through modelling and open communication, but because children lack direct access to digital savings, financial management remains hidden behind the parent's device.

To overcome this, parents actively seek solutions that grant children structured
autonomy and a tangible grasp of finite resources, without compromising parental oversight or boundary control.

Based on these insights, the final concept, Rabobank Samen Groeien, translates the need for financial access, structure, and family involvement into a tangible, semidigital experience permanently mounted in the heart of the home. Validation sessions resulted in:
- An adaptable interface: A digital platform that scales content according to the child's cognitive growth (from visual milestones to more complex concepts like interest), paired with a parental portal that supports negotiating tasks, automated savings, rules, and promoting the feeling of relatedness
with friends.
- An operational implementation strategy: A phased plan managed by Rabobank’s Innovation Team could be implemented, detailing the following steps for this proposition and how Rabobank can benefit from this in the future.

The project concludes that Rabobank can secure early brand loyalty by moving beyond a transactional banking relationship and physically positioning itself as an active educational partner in the daily lives of children and parents.

The final solution was validated on desirability, feasibility and viability with both
internal experts and user groups. While promising, its long-term effectiveness depends on integration within a broader corporate strategy, including active marketing, continuous alignment with behavioural scientists, and ongoing backend system optimisation.

In conclusion, this thesis provides Rabobank with a clear, actionable guide for future implementation, establishing a definitive path forward to
strengthen its market position and capture long-term generational loyalty.