This report is the first phase of this study and includes a comprehensive literature review and a review of family policies across ten EU countries. Grandparents are playing a growing role in family life across Europe. In a number of other EU states grandparents are entitled to paid leave, transferable parental leave and can, in some circumstances, also be paid for the care they provide.

The report outlines the lessons learned and recommendations from Eurochild’s Family and Parenting Support Thematic Working Group Round Table which took place on 19 and 20 May 2011 and was hosted by the Dutch municipality of Eindhoven and the Netherlands Youth Institute. Delegations from The Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Ireland and observers from Belgium (Flemish community), Italy and Poland attended this Round Table.
On the first day of the Round Table, participating delegations presented their inspiring practice of supporting parents and families. This included the Centre for Youth & Families in The Netherlands, including the SPIL Centres in Eindhoven; the Family Support Hub in Northern Ireland; the Family Centres in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; the New Futures Model from Ireland and a parent support programme for (future) parents in Sweden. The presentations were followed by workshops about several topics, including the role of local authorities and NGOs in parenting support and the implementation and effects of such support. On the second day, all participants went on field visits to two different centres in Eindhoven where parents can go for advice and help regarding their child: a SPIL-centre and the Youth and Family Centre (CJG).
During the field visits and discussions it became clear that the attending countries are all dealing with the same issues and are facing similar challenges, such as integrated working and the need of inventing in early intervention and prevention services. In addition, the importance of positive parenting and the need for “normalizing” parenting support were highlighted. On basis of these lessons learned, recommendations were formulated for providers of parenting support, for local and national governments and the European Commission.

This report presents the findings of a European research project jointly conducted by the University of East London (Prof. Dr Mathias Urban, Project Coordinator & Principal Investigator ) and the University of Ghent (Prof. Dr Michel Vandenbroeck, Principal Investigator). The ‘study on competence requirements in early childhood education and care’ (CoRe) explored conceptualisations of ‘competence’ and professionalism in early childhood practice, and identified systemic conditions for developing, supporting and maintaining competence in all layers of the early childhood system. The European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture commissioned the research conducted between January 2010 and May 2011. In the light of the research findings, and intensive consultation with key stakeholders in ECEC in Europe, CoRe has developed policy recommendations, which are also part of this report.

This report demonstrates the challenges and opportunities in supporting children, families and communities through early intervention, based on effective local, national and international practice.  The most striking message is that early intervention clearly works – when it is an appropriate intervention, applied well, following timely identification of a problem; and the earlier the better to secure maximum impact and greatest long term sustainability (both as early in the child's life as possible and/or as soon as possible after a difficulty becomes apparent).
"Grasping the nettle" is based on the joint call for evidence of effective local practice by the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services, (C4EO) and the Association of Directors of Children's Services, (ADCS) at the start of the year which led to over 100 submissions, a number met C4EO's criteria for effective practice, and many of these are summarised in the publication.

Presentaties van 3° internationale expertmeeting over CJG.  Meer dan 50 Nederlandse deelnemers and 12 internationale experten hielden een uitwisseling over professionalisering.

In the recent past, public debates about the role of the family in modern societies have loomed large within the countries of the European Union. Indeed, family structures and family forms have changed considerably throughout Europe since the 1960s and 1970s. Most prominently, the overall size of families has declined, following a general decrease in total fertility levels across virtually every European nation. Partly connected to this trend, the structure of families in Europe has changed. Recent studies point to the fact that the idea of one standard “nuclear family model” is increasingly being replaced by a variety of different alternative family forms and lifestyles.

Rapport studiebezoek Zweden en Denemarken georganiseerd door Eurochild.

Van 26 tot 30 april nam EXPOO deel aan een uitwisselingsprogramma en studiebezoek over gezins- en opvoedingsondersteuning in Zweden en Denemarken. 

Overzicht van ontwikkelingen inzake jeugdzorg in Groot-Brittanië, Duitsland, Nieuw-Zeeland, Zweden en Noorwegen.