Here you will see news from Europe, from civil society, from research, highlighting emerging trends from local to international level relevant for families of today.
As part of the European Semester, the Joint Employment Report 2025 emphasises that participation in ECEC under three is improving but at a very low pace, calling for renewed efforts in line with the European Child Guarantee, the European Care Strategy and the Council Recommendation on ECEC.
All across Europe, COFACE members continuously work to contribute to positive outcomes for diverse types of families in a changing society, including single-parent households. Organisations such as La Ligue des Familles and Single Parents Foundation have both recently and respectively put a spotlight on concrete ways to support and empower single parents in Europe from Belgium to Hungary.
In November 2024, COFACE member organisation APF France launched its second season of the short TV programme "Tous en scène pour le Handicap" (All on Stage for Disability)”. After the success of its first season in 2023, 10 new artists and public figures have taken the stage to humorously share real-life stories experienced by members of APF France.
In its statement on 18th October, the Network of European LGBTIQ Families Associations (NELFA) indicated that it stands in full solidarity with its Italian member association, Famiglie Arcobaleno, following the approval of the Varchi Law, which criminalises seeking surrogacy abroad.
COFACE is co-leading the Transnational Family Dynamics in Europe network's policy group, which recently published a policy brief on the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. It contributes to the ongoing debate on the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum (hereinafter ‘the Pact’), which was adopted in Spring 2024.
We are pleased to welcome and introduce COFACE’s newest member: The CNAFAL (Conseil National des Associations Familiales laïques) who works to protect and promote the well-being of families and all that contributes to it.
An estimated 708 million women worldwide are outside the labour force because of unpaid care responsibilities, according to new ILO global estimates, released end of October 2024, on the occasion of the International Day of Care and Support.
In Sweden, new parental leave has been extended to grandparents and friends. New rules now allow parents to transfer up to 45 days of their paid leave to someone who isn’t the child’s legal guardian - such as a relative or a friend - as long as the person is insured for parental allowance.
Social investments and reforms in key areas can boost employment, social inclusion, competitiveness and economic growth. This is the main finding of the Commission’s 2024 Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) report.
