Social Services Europe (SSE) is a network of 9 European umbrella organisations – currently comprising Caritas Europa, CECOP, CEDAG, E.A.N., EASPD, EPR, Eurodiaconia, FEANTSA and the Red Cross EU Office – representing over 200,000 not-for-profit social and health care organisations. They provide care, training, support and guidance to millions of people across Europe – such as children, older persons, persons with disabilities, people at risk or experiencing poverty and social exclusion, homeless people, migrants and asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups – and this in various stages in life. The national members of the 9 EU-level networks being members of SSE are active in a sector employing over 11 million people in the EU 27, of which about half are employed by social economy organisations.

Social Services Europe aims to strengthen the profile and position of social services, and promote the role of not-for-profit social service providers in Europe. The network seeks to ensure that the specificity of not-for-profit social and healthcare service providers be recognised and that economic, social and legal conditions exist for quality social and healthcare services.  We also wish to redress the lack of qualitative and quantitative data on social dialogue in the social service sector from an employers’ perspective and promote a culture of effective social dialogue and industrial relations.

We do this through:
a)  Advocacy work (position papers, statements, letters, contributions to EC consultations, briefings or reports)
b)  Networking and alliance-building
c)  Projects

Social Services Europe intends to reinforce the activities of its member organisations on the following topics: 1) Impact of EU legislation on SSGI, in particular state aid and public procurement; 2) social services workforce issues; 3) Social Innovation; 4) EU Funds (ESF+; ERDF) and Multi-Annual Financial Frameworks 2021-2027 & 2028-2034; 5) Contribution of Social Services to EU Policy.

Social Services Europe

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