The aim of this discussion paper is to provide up-to-date empirical evidence and policy recommendations related to family issues in Europe. The content presented is based on the main findings of the large-scale EU Seventh Framework project – Changing families and sustainable societies: Policy contexts and diversity over the life course and across generations (FamiliesAndSocieties). From February 2013 until January 2017, the consortium brought together a total of 25 leading universities and research institutes from 15 European countries, three transnational civil society actors and a large number of national and international stakeholders. Read more
The last policy brief highlights recent research findings of the project “FamiliesAndSocieties” on the current trends in social policies related to families in Europe. It focuses on crucial policy issues related to youth, gender equality and childcare arrangements. The brief also presents suggestions for policy interventions linked to the findings. Read more
Key messages:
•Practitioners can provide valuable insights into the situation of today’s vulnerable families and help delineate areas where policy interventions are essential.
•No family configuration inevitably leads to vulnerability, but some are more “at risk” than others. Decisive for family wellbeing is the ability to combine family life with paid employment.
•From the practitioners’ perspective, policy measures to support families in need and to prevent the “reproduction of vulnerability” from one generation to another should focus particularly on education and the reconciliation of family and working life. Read more
This policy brief highlights recent research findings from the project FamiliesAndSocieties on the role of laws and policies in shaping gendered interdependencies in families; the way the “sandwich generation” (those who are likely to raise a child or a grandchild and care for parents at the same time) cares for older parents across countries; transfers in Europe from ageing parents to adult children and vice versa; and, the extent to which the financial crisis has affected intergenerational patterns of family support across households. The brief also presents suggestions for policy interventions that can be derived from the findings. Read more
The second policy brief summarises recent research findings of the project FamiliesAndSocieties with regard to the impact of transnational families on children’s wellbeing in both origin and destination countries, as well as to the demographic behaviour of immigrants and their descendants. The brief also presents suggestions for policy interventions. Read more
This policy brief summarises recent research findings on the consequences of parental separation for the future of children, and presents suggestions for policy interventions to prevent adverse consequences associated with it. Read more