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Topics: Children, Youth

  • Improved public services key to better quality of life in Europe

    Levels of trust and social cohesion have recovered overall in the EU since the financial crisis, perceived social exclusion has declined and there has been an increase in active citizenship and civic engagement, according to Eurofound’s flagship report ‘​Challenges and prospects in the EU: Quality of life and public services’.

  • Young people, particularly those low qualified, bear the brunt of social inequalities in Spain

    This week Spain celebrates the Fiesta Nacional, and we mark the occasion by sharing our research data, findings and analysis to provide a snapshot of the country’s living and working conditions. Eurofound has been monitoring and reporting on living and working conditions in Spain, in comparison to other EU Member States, since before its accession to the EU in 1986.

  • Eurofound's upcoming research in 2019

    With a new European Parliament in place, and a new Commission imminent, it's all change at European level. Eurofound's upcoming research for the rest of 2019 reflects both established priorities under its work programme, as well as ongoing developments in work and life in Europe.

  • Potential of platform work may depend on greater protection of workers

    Platform work across the European Union can facilitate better access to the labour market for disadvantaged groups, encourage participation among those with other responsibilities and foster self-employment and entrepreneurship. Eurofound’s new policy brief highlights the main opportunities and challenges of platform work and illustrates some of the first attempts at addressing them.

  • Quality of life improving in Malta, but concerning issues on the horizon for young people

    As Malta celebrates its Independence Day, we mark the day by sharing our research data, findings and analysis to provide a snapshot of living and working conditions in Malta today. Eurofound has been monitoring and reporting on the improvement of living and working conditions in Malta, in comparison to the other EU Member States, since before accession to the EU.

  • Ireland has highest incidence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms among young women in EU

    This graph, based on Eurostat data, shows that gender is an important factor in depression. In most Member States young women aged 15–24 were more likely to suffer from depression than young men. The greatest gender gaps were in Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Sweden. Only in Cyprus, Greece and Lithuania were there higher percentages of young men with depressive symptoms.

  • Crisis point: Well-being of young people still defined by the economic crisis

    Across the EU, 14% of young adults are at risk of depression, and 4% of young people aged 15-24 suffer from chronic depression. Young women are more likely to find themselves not in employment, education or training, and are significantly more likely to suffer depressive symptoms than young men

  • ICT-enabled flexible working – All plain sailing?

    Imagine you’re at work and something happens: you have to leave to visit a client, you have to go home to let in the plumber, or you have to collect the kids from school as the football training has just been cancelled. If you’re lucky, your employer gives you the flexibility to do this. If you’re even luckier, it is YOU who decides upon your schedule and place of work.

  • Quality of life improving in Ireland but challenges remain

    Quality of life is improving in Ireland, particularly in relation to social cohesion, with the country recording some of the highest levels optimism in the EU and lowest reported levels of tension between racial and ethnic groups. However, a number of challenges remain, notably in public transport, childcare services, and social housing – all of which are rated below EU averages.

  • Social cohesion and well-being in Europe: A home run for team EU?

    Eurofound's latest report from the Quality of Life​ Survey looks at five key aspects of social cohesion including perceived social exclusion, perceived social tensions, interpersonal trust, participation in society and a sense of community. Collectively, these aspects have an important bearing on the well-being of citizens.

  • Platform work – Breaking barriers or breaking bad?

    Platform work is neither good nor bad – it just is. We need to adapt to this reality by finding ways to capitalise on the positive while at the same time counteracting the negative. This needs to be done in a differentiated way, taking account of the great variety in platform work. One-size solutions simply will not fit all.

  • Progress in paternity and parental leave for fathers – Are baby steps enough?

    Few events challenge the equilibrium between work and life like the arrival of a child. As gender roles continue to change in Europe, supporting the uptake of paternity and parental leave among fathers is fundamental, not just to close the ‘caring gap’ between men and women, but also to provide the best possible outlook for coming generations.

  • Sharing caring

    ​It is well known that women take more responsibility for the care of their children than men. According to the 2016 EQLS, 88% of mothers compared to 64% of fathers in the EU care for their children every day. These fathers estimate they give 21 hours a week to the care of their children, while the mothers dedicate 39 hours per week.

  • Europe’s economic recovery continues in times of political instability

    Europe is showing visible signs of progress; in most countries, labour markets are healthier than they have been in a decade, with more people active and in work than ever before, while social exclusion is declining. However, it is also a continent in transition, where an imbalance in opportunities for prosperity and quality of life directly determines to what extent you have felt this recovery.

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