How Families Navigate Crises – New Findings Presented at rEUsilience Conference
The rEUsilience project (Risks, Resources, and Inequalities: Increasing Resilience in European Families) is a European research initiative funded by the EU under the Horizon Europe programme. The project is jointly coordinated by Rense Nieuwenhuis (SOFI, Stockholm University) and Mary Daly (Oxford University), and it has developed new evidence on how families respond to socio-economic shocks and major decisions related to managing family life and securing a decent income.
Today, Friday 27th, the project hosts a final conference in Brussels under the theme “The State of Family Resilience in Europe Today: New Evidence to Support Policy Reform.” The conference welcomes over 80 representatives from EU institutions, national policymakers, and civil society. Its objectives are to:
- Showcase research findings: Present key empirical results and critical perspectives from the project’s research.
- Share evidence-based policy recommendations: Inform stakeholders of policy reforms that could better support families.
- Support policy learning for key stakeholders: Facilitate the uptake of recommendations and promote networking between European and national policymakers, civil society, social partners, and researchers.
Launched in September 2022 and running until August 2025, rEUsilience is led by Stockholm University and Oxford University, with partners including KU Leuven, the Universities of Warsaw, Zagreb, and Barcelona, and COFACE Families Europe. Its twin pillars—Stocktaking Research and Policy Lab—combine empirical insights with stakeholder-driven simulations to co-develop impactful policy recommendations.
The project identifies three overarching policy priorities:
- Improved income support for families with children, with particular attention to low-resourced families.
- Closing the childcare gap.
- Establishing a comprehensive network of family support services.
Associate Professor Rense Nieuwenhuis of Stockholm University, co-coordinator of the rEUsilience project, emphasized:
“Our research shows that many families experience overlapping insecurities—not just financial, but also related to time, housing, and caregiving. This complexity must be reflected in policy responses that move beyond single-issue solutions.”
A recent public event in Sweden brought together civil society organizations for a panel discussion on the situation of families in Sweden, drawing on rEUsilience research. The panel highlighted the need to improve both the level and accessibility of social protection. While employment and education improve family outcomes, persistent inequality may stem from discrimination and structural barriers. Sweden’s high societal expectations regarding full-time employment and parenting place a disproportionate burden on single parents. Panelists called for more inclusive family policies that support diverse family forms.
Uneven municipal implementation of social assistance undermines equity and legal certainty. Access to benefits is further hindered by poor communication; information must be tailored to vulnerable groups using accessible language and formats. Municipalities can play a stronger role by offering targeted child support, such as transport subsidies and holistic family centers. Finally, panelists challenged stigmatizing narratives around welfare, emphasizing that Sweden’s system already strongly incentivizes work and must be accompanied by greater empathy and integration efforts.
Last updated: June 27, 2025
Source: MD