Care and Support Systems for Reinforcing Family-oriented Policies

A Vision for Sustainable Social Development 

Solution Session at the World Summit on Social Development
Thursday, November 6th, 2025 – 1:15pm
Conference Room 6, Qatar National Convention Centre (Doha, Qatar)

Co-sponsored by
the Permanent Mission of Poland to the United Nations,
the SOS Children Villages’s International,
the Division of Inclusive Social Development of UN-DESA,
and the Learning for Well-being Institute

As countries undergo profound demographic transitions—including population ageing, declining fertility rates in most regions, and increased life expectancy—the need to strengthen care and support systems is becoming increasingly urgent. While some Member States have taken meaningful steps toward institutional solutions in care provision, others remain at varying stages of policy development. Although the family remains the primary and enduring provider of care across the life course—from early childhood to old age, many families face mounting challenges due to, inter alia, precarious economic conditions and rising mobility accompanying rapid urbanization.

Moreover, families—particularly parents and especially mothers—often bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities, navigating the dual demands of caring for both younger and older generations without sufficient societal or policy support, such as adequate social protection systems. At the same time, care recipients, such as children and older persons, persons with disabilities, etc. have the right to care that is being unmet due to lack of investment in care service and family support.

This solutions session proposes a paradigm shift: placing the family at the center of the care and support system, itself strengthened by family-friendly care solutions. By leveraging best policies and practices from established systems, and drawing lessons from innovative solutions, we aim to promote a holistic, inclusive, and foresight approach to care that addresses the needs of all family members.

Goals

– Highlight successful models of care and support systems that prioritize family involvement and family-friendly policies.
– Facilitate dialogue between countries with mature systems and those at development stages.
– Promote cross-regional collaboration and knowledge sharing on care strategies in light of demographic and social trends.
– Strengthen partnerships between Member States and UN Agencies to integrate family-centered approaches into national and international frameworks for social development.

Key Themes and Challenges

– Building care systems that recognize, support, and redistribute unpaid care work among generations in the family
– Propose care systems in the context of demographic transformation, including the full portfolio of child and family policies that support families.
– Highlight The role of families as essential actors in delivering sustainable care
– Transitioning from institutional to family, community-based and gender-balanced care and support.
– Designing inclusive support structures for children, persons with disabilities, older persons, and caregivers
– Leveraging technology and innovation to support caregiving within families

Expected Outcomes and Solutions

– A shared vision for family-inclusive care and support systems aligned with the goals of the Second World Summit on Social Development.

– Identification of policy recommendations and scalable models adaptable to different national contexts.

– A call for stronger multi-stakeholder collaboration as a joint statement, including governments, civil society, the private sector, and UN bodies.

Agenda (TBC)

Opening Remarks

Introductory Remarks

Regional Perspectives

Civil Society Perspectives