Latest activities
Check out the latest COFACE activities, and use the search for further information on the latest campaigns, media releases, publications, events, projects and more.
News
Who’s caring for the carers ? Call for greater recognition and support for family carers across EU policies and funding
In most European countries, there is a lack of adequate community-based services for persons with care needs. In many cases, this gap is filled by family members who frequently face the challenge of balancing their own needs with the demands of caregiving. However invaluable this role may be, non-professional care provided by family members should never replace the duty of national public authorities to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable support and care services to ensure people’s full participation in society.
Unapei leads the way in shaping inclusive EU policies for people with disabilities
On 13 September 2024, Unapei's Europe Commission held a pivotal seminar in Paris, bringing together members of the Unapei network and their European partners, including COFACE Families Europe. Unapei's Europe Commission is dedicated to addressing EU political developments related to the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities and their families, with a focus on positively influencing these issues.
Call for COFACE Project intern for 6 months, January-June 2025
The Project intern will join the COFACE secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, from January to June 2025 working closely with the rEUsilience Senior Project and Advocacy Officer on implementing key project tasks across communications, events, and policy.
Publications
European Charter for Family Carers
The European Charter addresses the needs of family carers irrespective of the cause of the person’s support need.
Key findings: Bringing the family perspective to the education field
In April 2024, COFACE and the Irish Country Women's Association co-hosted a European expert meeting on Life-long learning and bringing the family perspective to the education field. This expert meeting brought together speakers from Ireland and Europe to help pave the way for family-centred education and learning systems.
POLICY BRIEF. Supporting Families in the Digital Era: How to ensure safe and enriching online experiences for children and their Families?
EU policy-makers must ensure that all families are given support and guidance to access and navigate the digital environment in a meaningful way. This includes strong legal frameworks as well as strong and “low-threshold” evidence-based support and prevention measures for families. COFACE has produced a policy brief highlighting the importance of digital technologies for children and their families, and analysing whether existing and currently debated EU frameworks aimed at ensuring safe and empowering digital experiences for children integrate a families perspective.
Campaigns
State Of The European Union for Families: COFACE assessment of the European Union’s work from 2019-2024
In 2019, COFACE Families Europe mobilised voters locally through its member organisations (representing families of all types, without discrimination). These recommendations are addressed at EU-level policymakers in the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the EU, from whom we expect joint leadership to ensure tangible results for Europe’s citizens. It is on this basis that we have assessed the European Union's work from 2019 to 2024, and how it contributes to achieving eight positive outcomes for families of today.
ACT NOW FOR FAMILIES OF TODAY
COFACE has the ambition to shape together a strong social Europe fit for families and foster a European society that is more inclusive, offers equal opportunities and brings everyone forward.
In preparation of the next European elections on 6-9th June 2024, here are ten specific actions we would like to see integrated in the programme of the European Union.
State Of The European Union for Families: COFACE assessment of the European Union’s work from 2019-2024
In 2019, COFACE Families Europe mobilised voters locally through its member organisations (representing families of all types, without discrimination). These recommendations are addressed at EU-level policymakers in the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the EU, from whom we expect joint leadership to ensure tangible results for Europe’s citizens. It is on this basis that we have assessed the European Union's work from 2019 to 2024, and how it contributes to achieving eight positive outcomes for families of today.
ACT NOW FOR FAMILIES OF TODAY
COFACE has the ambition to shape together a strong social Europe fit for families and foster a European society that is more inclusive, offers equal opportunities and brings everyone forward.
In preparation of the next European elections on 6-9th June 2024, here are ten specific actions we would like to see integrated in the programme of the European Union.
Projects
COFACE Families Europe builds projects with its members (NGOs) and partners (research and policy), in order to deepen our actions in specific domains and strengthen the research-policy-practice triangle.
By building partnerships between practitioners, policy-makers and research institutions, we aim to support evidence-based practice and policy-making. We have been involved with a wide range of European projects, as both advisory board members and impact managers, funded by Erasmus+, Horizon 2020 and the European Research Council. We use the research to feed into EU and national policies under review and under preparation, and disseminate the results to our wide network of family organisations, inserting the research into practice via different programmes to support families which are run by COFACE members.
Opinions
OPINION – Ethnic segregation of Roma children in Europe’s schools demands real action
Ethnic segregation is a widespread and systematic practice in many European countries. These practices are illegal yet continue to shape the lives of children and families across Europe. Our rights to education, housing, and health, ostensibly enjoyed by us all, remain divided along ethnic lines. For many Roma, their enjoyment of these rights is severely limited, often with the tacit support of the state.
OPINION – Sharenting: exercise of parental rights or infringement of privacy?
While social media are used for many purposes and from all ages, young people constitute a significant proportion of internet users. Unfortunately, as they engage in online activities they may enter dangerous situations such as cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation and other forms of cybercrimes. But what happens when the parents themselves expose their children to these dangers through actions such as sharing information about their children online under the veil of parenting?
Media Releases
Who’s caring for the carers ? Call for greater recognition and support for family carers across EU policies and funding
In most European countries, there is a lack of adequate community-based services for persons with care needs. In many cases, this gap is filled by family members who frequently face the challenge of balancing their own needs with the demands of caregiving. However invaluable this role may be, non-professional care provided by family members should never replace the duty of national public authorities to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable support and care services to ensure people’s full participation in society.
Joint Statement on European Care Strategy transparency
Following the call on 8th April 2024 for a European Long-Term Care Platform, 18 organisations signed a joint statement urging national governments and the European Commission to ensure open and transparent reporting mechanisms for the European Care Strategy, for its effective monitoring and implementation.
State Of The European Union for Families: COFACE’s assessment of the EU’s work over the last 5 Years
On this 2024 International Day of Families and ahead of the European elections in June, COFACE is pleased to publish its assessment of the European Union’s work from 2019 to 2024 as well as its key demands to the EU for the 2024-2029 mandate. Both will be presented to friends of COFACE in Brussels during a Meet&Connect event in the presence of the Belgian Presidency of the EU, the occasion also to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the International Year of Families.