This publication contains all the speeches and papers given to the plenary session and the four workshops which made up the 5th European Family Conference, held in Brussels on 14‑15 October 2010.

It was a milestone event in the history of COFACE, resuming a series of similar conferences which had started in 1987, but for the first time formed part of the official programme of the rotating Presidency of the EU -Belgium in this case- with support from the European Commission.

The Conference was attended by nearly 200 participants who came to hear about and discuss the various issues addressed by COFACE in its working groups over the last three years under the EU’s Progress Programme. As the focus was on social inclusion of families and the relevant key role of family policies, all the topics discussed explored that aspect more deeply.