Symposium in Brussels

EU Symposium „Family policies matter!”

Familie sitzt am Tisch und spieltWhich political strategies are effective against poverty and social exclusion of families?Deutscher Caritasverband e.V./KNA

This symposium on family policies aimed to get closer to a comprehensible answer to the question: Which social and family policies effectively improve the situation of families, especially of the most deprived parents and children such as single parents (mostly mothers), families with more than two children and families with a migration background? Four EU member states and their family policies were presented: Denmark,  France, Germany and Slovenia. The aim of the conference was the exchange of good practices and the improvement of own concepts.

The symposium was attended by experts on family policies of social welfare organisations on the European and national level, by politicians and political scientists.

Please download the presentations given on the symposium and the detailed program you’ll find below on this website.

Download

Flyer zum EU-Symposium

Program of the symposium with further information on registration, location and accomodation.

Introduction - Context and aims of the EU Symposium "Family policies matter!"

In his welcome speech, Professor Georg Cremer, Secretary General of German Caritas Association, outlines the reason-why of the symposium highlighting some European and German matters in family policies at hand.

Abstract of all contributions

Please find here a "bullet points"-overview on the most interesting facts given in the presentations from the various EU member states.

Denmark - Advantages of a universal and generous family policy

Peter Abrahamson, Professor at the Department of Sociology at Copenhagen University, underlines the conditions of success in Danish policy for families.

Denmark - Peter Abrahamson - plain text version

The contribution by Professor Abrahamson of Copenhagen University as a text paper.

Good Practice Denmark

The contribution by Denmark's Socialstyrelsen (National Board of Social Services) concentrates on Family houses - an early preventive intervention for young vulnerable mothers and their children.

France - Family Policy Developments and Situation 2014

Brigitte Alsberge, working for the Département Solidarités Familiale of French Caritas Organisation Secours catholique, outlines French Family policies of some centuries and gives an overview of nowaday's goals and measures.

Good Practice France

The French Family house "La maison des familles à Auchel" serves as a good practice example of Secours catholique organization to display social work for families in an economically challenged region.

Germany - Objectives and Effects of Family Policies

Karin Jurczyk, Head of department at German Youth Institute, displays the goals of German family policy and their response to social challenges.

Good Practice Germany

Good practice presented by German Caritas Association focuses on the needs of “young” families and the contribution of volunteers as carried out in the nationwide project “Early assistance within Caritas (2010 - 2013)”.

Slovenia - Family life as the cornerstone of Europe's future

Father Tadej Strehovec of Caritas Slovenia has the facts of Slovenian family life situation and policy.

Good Practice Slovenia

Alenka Petek who works for Diocesan Caritas Ljubljana informs on the programs and assistance measures for families in need which Diocesan and Parish Caritas organizations offer at the City of Ljubljana.

ŒLiving conditions of families in Europe

Beat Fux, Professor of Comparative Social Structure Analysis at Salzburg University, specifies facts and figures on family living circumstances around Europe.

Initiative for Solidarity

German Caritas runs an overall thematic initiative every three years. Between 2012 and 2014 it’s the “Initiative for solidarity and social cohesion”.