In the spotlight
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Social Platform Conference: Improving care policies in the EU
A conference entitled ‘We care, how can EU care?’, organised by the Social Platform (bringing together more than 40 European NGOs, federations and networks) was held at the International Auditorium Brussels on 9 December 2011. Representatives from civil society organisations, European institutions and social partners attended. The main aim was to discuss the need to improve the quality of care in EU member states. Recommendations for care that respects the rights of individuals, guarantees access to services and promotes social inclusion', which were produced by the Social Platform, were the basis for discussions.
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Involving parents in the education of their children (France)
'La Mallette des parents' [the parents' briefcase] is an ongoing project that is aimed at involving parents more in their children's education in around 80 schools. It is run by the Academie Creteil, which comes under the direct authority of the France's Ministry for Education. The Academie Creteil's responsibilities include regular inspections of schools in its catchment area, which is Seine et Marne, Seine St Denis and Val de Marne, close to Paris. It was set up to improve relations between parents and teachers to help parents understand more about how their child is taught so that they can contribute to their child's success at school.
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Brighter Futures, a peer mentoring service for the elderly (UK)
Brighter Futures was a Mental Health Foundation (MHF) pilot peer mentoring service for isolated older people in the Scottish regions of Glasgow, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire. The basic idea is for volunteers to use their skills and experience to help elderly people become more actively involved in their community.
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Project to encourage over 50s to stay entrepreneurially active (Ireland)
The Senior Enterprise Ireland project aims to raise awareness about how the over 50s can engage with enterprise and the benefits that can flow from that engagement. That may be through starting a business, alone or with others, acquiring or investing in a business, advising an entrepreneur or supporting innovation within a business owned by another.
Each country in the Union has its own political, social and economic history. The country profiles reflect the current situation of families and describe national policies for families, highlighting key statistics and background information.
Whether small-scale pilot projects or nationwide schemes, there are many examples of successful initiatives supporting families. This section rounds up examples from across the Union.
Developing a better understanding of the situation of families and family-friendly policies is essential to building the policies of the future. This section covers studies and reports at EU and Member State level.
Unfamiliar with a term or acronym you have seen on this site? The glossary explains some of the jargon.
