What will families look like in the future? Are existing social- and family policies compatible with changes in family patterns? These and related questions were addressed in the large-scale integrating project FamiliesAndSocieties – Changing families and sustainable societies: Policy contexts and diversity over the life course and across generations, coordinated by Stockholm University.
ELFAC was one of the three partners from civil society in this project.
The collaborative research project was financed in the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (€6.5 millions in EU contribution; grant no. 320116). Launched in February 1, 2013 it was working until January 31, 2017.
The main objectives of the project were:
- To investigate the diversity of family forms, relationships, and life courses in Europe.
- To assess the compatibility of existing policies with family changes.
- To contribute to evidence-based policy-making.
The project extended our knowledge on how policies promote well-being, inclusion and sustainable societal development among families.
Multidisciplinary approach: We combined a wide range of expertise in social sciences, law and the humanities represented in the consortium of 25 research partners from 15 European countries, and three transnational civil society actors.
Database: Two new databases were developed within the project: one of the legal content of family forms available in European countries, and another on EC/EU initiatives in core family-policy areas.
Best policy practices: Together with various stakeholders, government agencies, national and local policy-makers, non-governmental organizations and additional members of the scientific community across Europe, the project identified and disseminated innovative and best policy practices.
More information: familiesandsocieties.eu
