Conference 'Breaking Silos, Building Futures'
In the context of the European Observatory on Family Policy, and together with COFACE, we organised on 25 & 26 September 2025 the conference 'Breaking Silos, Building Futures: Policy Innovations for Integrated Family and Child Support', on our campus in Brussels.
This conference convened researchers, policymakers, public administrators, and NGOs to advance integrated, place-based strategies that strengthen family resilience and equity through systemic service coordination. Centering on policy levers that empower municipalities and amplify early investments, the event explored how cross-sector collaboration enhances service quality and maximizes long-term societal returns
You can find all presentations on the conference website.
Concept
The program features a keynote roundtable followed by four interactive streams, each structured as workshops to foster debate and cross-fertilization of ideas.
- Stream 1 reimagines ECEC centers as community anchors, coordinating education, health, and social support.
- Stream 2 examines integrated service hubs to streamline access for families.
- Stream 3 tackles governance innovations to break silos in local prevention efforts;
- while Stream 4 harnesses digital tools to bridge service gaps.
Core themes include:
- Strengthening local ecosystems: Municipal leadership, data-driven decision-making, and sustainable funding as key resilience levers.
- Systemic coordination for quality: How aligning housing, health, and education services improves efficacy and equity in service provision.
- Scaling what works: From Flanders’ Huis van het Kind model to Estonia’s digital platforms, showcasing actionable frameworks for replication.
By bridging research, policy, and practice, the conference will identify scalable solutions to build resilient communities where families thrive.
