Experts and members of COFACE Families Europe engaged in intensive exchange for two days in Prague in the first week of October. The European Expert Meeting on policies for support to single parents was co-hosted by Women for Women Czechia & COFACE. Tulip Foundation was an active participant in all the discussions and the strategy planning.

During the first day we explored the effectiveness of family policies in addressing realities of single parent families across different EU countries using multi-generation lens. We discussed existing challenges and solutions in policy and practice and reviewed family policies to integrate and respond to diverse needs of families of today, in light of developments under the EU Child Guarantee action plans. Martina Štýbrová from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Czechia and Rense Nieuwenhuis, Associate Professor in Sociology from the Swedish Institute for Social Research at Stockholm University presented their views. Anna Nagy from Single Parents Foundation in Hungary and Mary Halloran from the Irish Countrywomen’s Association spoke about the mental health and work-life balance aspects. Policies which reach out to single parent realities were subject to the presentations of Rasa Zemaite from the National Assembly of Active Mothers in Lithuania and Daniel Alvarez from Isadora Duncan Single-Parent Foundation in Spain.

The COFACE Council of Administration had a busy day with reviewing the past year and looking forward with the vision and the plans of the network. We discussed research projects, the development of the Family Lab and joint initiatives of members.