COFACE expert meeting: Spotlight on single parent families and large families

FAMILIES IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS:
FROM CHALLENGES TO SOLUTIONS

COFACE expert meeting
Spotlight on single parent families and large families
9.00-15.50
26 October 2020
Online

Although the EU economy recovered from the last recession, it has suffered another shock as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with inequality again on the increase and some families facing multiple challenges. Single-parents’ families, large families, migrant families and families where members have disabilities or long-term conditions face high risks of social exclusion and material deprivation.

This expert meeting put the spotlight on single parent families and large families, taking COFACE virtually to the meeting hosts in Budapest where members Single Parents Foundation and NOE will provide insights into the situation in Hungary, as a starting point for discussions with counterpart organisations from other EU countries.
We  examined the situation of these families in the following areas: housing, income support and work-life balance, and family care. The two main questions will be addressed in the discussions are the following:

• what are the challenges identified for single parents and large families?
• what solutions exist to address these challenges?

Objectives of the meeting:

1. Foster exchange between NGOs supporting families in different countries of the COFACE network;
2. Improve understanding of the specific needs of one-parent and large families;
3. Collect the information into a policy brief for publication.

Full programme here

Full meeting report here

Presentations from the meeting:

Welcome and introduction of the host organisations

• Annemie DRIESKENS, President of COFACE Families Europe
• Anna NAGY, Director of Single Parents Foundation Hungary
• Kinga JÓÓ, Vice-President of NOE

Session 1: Housing

• Country spotlight: Hungary: András PÁRI, Assistant Professor, Pázmány Péter Catholic University

Session 2: Work-life balance and income support

• Introductory contribution about the Hungarian situation: Balázs MOLNÁR, vice-president, Maria Kopp Institute for Demography and Families
• Country spotlight: Belgium
  Elke VALGAEREN, Policy adviser, Gezinsbond, Belgium

Session 3: Family care for different care needs

• Introductory contribution about the Hungarian situation: Réka Hegedüs, Home Start Hungary
• Country spotlight: Spain
  Daniel ALVAREZ, Projects manager, Isadora Duncan, Spain

Working language: English
Venue: Zoom
Meeting status: for COFACE members only

For more information, contact secretariat@coface-eu.org