Addressing EU demographic challenges

What is the issue?

The European Union (EU) is undergoing significant demographic change, with profound implications for family life, welfare systems, and workforces across member states. Fertility rates have declined considerably over the last five decades, and there is a persistent gap between desired and actual family size. Decisions to postpone having children or limit family size are indicative of a context where reconciling the social and economic demands of work and life proves ever more challenging for families.

Large family and single-parent households face particular pressures, with more children to support or fewer adults to share unpaid care and earnings. In 2024, these households represented 17.7 percent of all households with children in the EU. Both EU-level and national policies have a crucial role in supporting households with children and reducing the risk of poverty and social exclusion.

How are we helping?

The European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has commissioned RAND Europe, together with the Institute for Structural Research (IBS) in Poland, to carry out a study exploring how EU and member state policies support large families and single-parent households.

The study will:

• Map and assess initiatives across the 27 EU member states, including work‑life balance, childcare, and financial‑support measures.
• Analyse the use and impact of Large Family Cards (LFCs), which offer benefits and discounts to families with multiple children.
• Identify practices, barriers and gaps in policy design and implementation.
• Develop evidence-based recommendations for strengthening support to large families and single-parent households at both national and EU levels.

To achieve this, the research combines quantitative analysis of national data, a literature review, targeted desk research and policy mapping, and stakeholder interviews.