Twenty years of transition of social services in the New and Candidate Member States, and the outcome of the process, were the key themes of the European Social Network’s seminar in Ljubljana on 19-20th May 2008. The seminar was organised in cooperation with the Slovenian EU Presidency, the first New Member State to hold the EU Presidency.

Almost 60 delegates from 23 European states took up this opportunity to learn about the social services in New Europe, connect with professionals from this part of Europe, visit social services in Slovenia and analyse the social landscape of CEEC. To contribute to the discussion ESN prepared a policy paper “Social Services in Transition” and – building on the plenary presentations, panel discussions and the members’ comments – drew a set of key policy messages.

These key messages focused on the issue of quality community care and proposed a number of recommendations to facilitate a transition towards these modern and user-focused services. They invite the national and local policy-makers to reflect together with the social services on how to bring a change in favour of de-institutionalised model of care by involving local communities in policy debate and delivery.