The ESN Members Forum 2025 is a pivotal event, held every four years, bringing together ESN members and EU decision-makers to discuss the future of social services in Europe. This forum will serve as a key milestone in shaping ESN’s Strategy for 2026–2030, reflecting on achievements and setting priorities for the years ahead.
Taking place in Warsaw, Poland, on 7–8 April 2025, this year’s forum is organised in collaboration with the City of Warsaw, the Mazovian Social Policy Centre, and Korczak University. Over two days, participants will engage in expert-led policy discussions, interactive sessions, and collaborative workshops, tackling the most pressing challenges in social services, including:
- Workforce shortages and strategies to attract, train, and retain social care professionals.
- Sustainable funding models to ensure long-term viability of social services.
- Transformation of care models, focusing on innovation and person-centred approaches.
A key highlight of the 2025 forum is the Workshop on Long-Term Care (LTC), where social service leaders will explore innovative solutions to address the needs of Europe’s ageing population. This session will focus on:
- Workforce development to support the growing demand for care.
- Financial sustainability and funding strategies for LTC services.
- Quality assurance and innovative care models to improve service delivery.
PROGRAMME (Members Forum)
Monday, 7 April
09:00-12:30 The Future of Long-Term Care: Social Services Driving New Solutions (Registered Participants Only)
12:00-13:15 Registration of Members Forum Participants
12:15-13:15 Networking Lunch
13:15-13:30 Celebrating 25 Years of ESN’s Achievements
13:30-14:00 Official Opening and Welcome
- Christian Fillet, Chair, European Social Network
- Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Masovian Voivodeship, Poland
- Jacek Wiśnicki, Deputy Mayor of Warsaw, Poland
- Mirosław Grewiński, Rector of Korczak University, Poland
- Katarzyna Nowakowska, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy, Poland
- Dana Bachmann, Head of Unit – Social Protection, European Commission
14:00-14:15 Shaping ESN’s Future Priorities
The session will kick off with a presentation by the ESN Secretariat, showcasing key findings from a questionnaire asking our members about ESN’s future policy priorities.
14:15 –15:30 Plenary 1: Shaping the Future of Social Services Management
Moderator: Alfonso Lara Montero, CEO, European Social Network
- Kai Leichsenring, Executive Director, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Austria
- Claire Burns, Director, Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Hugh Salmon, Director, Global Social Service Workforce Alliance
- Adelina Comas-Herrera, Director, Global Observatory of Long-Term Care, Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom
- Dana Bachmann, Head of Unit – Social Protection, European Commission
Q&A with Audience and Explanation of Parallel Sessions
15:30–16:30 Parallel Session A - Promoting Sustainable Funding and Community-based Care
Participants will choose between the following parallel workshops:
- Social Programmes for Children, Youth, and Families
- Long-term Care Programmes for Adults
- Social Programmes addressing Poverty and Homelessness
16:30 –17:00 Coffee Break
17:00-18:00 Parallel Session B - Promoting Quality and Developing the Workforce
Participants will choose between the following parallel workshops:
- Social Programmes for Children, Youth, and Families
- Long-term Care Programmes for Adults
- Social Programmes addressing Poverty and Homelessness
- Cities Social Services; Strategic Models
18:00 End of Day 1
19:30-22:00 Dinner Organised by the Masovian Voivodeship
Tuesday, 8 April
8:30-9:00 Delegate Registration
9:15-10:00 Plenary 2: Sharing Achievements and Strengthening Membership
Moderator: Christian Fillet, Chair, European Social Network, Director, City of Bruges, Belgium
- Graham Owen, Vice-Chair of ESN - European Representative, Swedish Association of Directors of Social Services - Sweden
- Alfred Grixti, Vice-Chair of ESN - CEO, Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Malta
- Georgia Chimbani, Vice-Chair of ESN - Corporate Director, Health and Adult Social Care, Tower Hamlets Borough, London, United Kingdom
Q&A with Audience and Explanation of Parallel Sessions
10:00-11:30 Parallel Session C - Membership Growth and Engagement
Participants will choose between the following parallel workshops:
- Funding and Broader Network Development
- Membership Engagement
- Creating a Dialogue through Communications
- Research & Evidence-based Practice
11:40-13:00 Shaping Future Social Services
In this session, rapporteurs from each parallel session will present the participants’ main recommendations for the future of ESN.
Representatives from the ESN membership, Board, and Council, will then discuss the key findings and recommendations for ESN’s future development.
13:00-14:00 Lunch
14:00-17:00 ESN Board Meeting
PROGRAMME (Workshop on Long-Term Care )
Monday, 7 April
09:00-09:15 Welcome and Introduction
- Christian Fillet, Chair, European Social Network
- Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz, Minister for Senior Policy, Poland
- Anna Brzezińska, Deputy Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship, Poland
- Joanna Lizut, Vice-Rector, Korczak University Warsaw, Poland
09:15 –10:20 Addressing the Long-Term Care Conundrum
Moderator: Alfonso Lara Montero, CEO, European Social Network
1. Transforming the Model of Care
- Stefania Ilinca, Technical Officer for LTC, WHO’s Regional Office for Europe
2. Promoting a Sustainable Financial Model
- Pietrangelo De Biase, Policy Analyst, OECD
3. Addressing the Quality and Workforce Challenge
- Kai Leichsenring, Executive Director, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research
4. EU initiatives Addressing Challenges in LTC
- Dana Bachmann, Head of Unit - Social Protection, European Commission
10:20-10:30 Mini Break (Switch Rooms)
10:30–11:20 Practice Group Discussions – Elaborating Recommendations
Group 1: Ensuring Quality
- Niamh O’Rourke, Deputy Director – National Standards for Health and Social Care, Health Information and Quality Authority, Ireland
- Rosa Martín i Niubó, Executive Director of Resources Management, Service Provision and Quality, Municipal Institute of Social Services - Barcelona City
Council, Spain
Group 2: Developing Workforce
- Jenny Paton, Director of Strategy, Impact and Policy, Skills for Care, United Kingdom
- Heinz Stieb, Director, Consortium of Retirement Homes in Vienna, Austria
Group 3: Sustainable Financing
- Melanie Williams, President, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, United Kingdom
- Lex Staal, Director, Social Work Netherlands, the Netherlands
Group 4: Transforming Community-Based Care
- Pawel Rabiej, Director of Social Research and Analysis, Korczak University Warsaw, Poland
11:20 –11:30 Mini Break (Switch Rooms)
11:30-11:50 Practice Group Discussions - Outcomes & Recommendations
The outcomes and recommendations from the group discussions will be presented to the panel of experts and decision-makers.
Group 1 Speaker: Ensuring Quality
Group 2 Speaker: Developing Workforce
Group 3 Speaker: Sustainable Financing
Group 4 Speaker: Transforming Community-Based Care
11:50-12:25 Panel Feedback on Recommendations
Moderator: Alfonso Lara Montero, CEO, European Social Network
- Pietrangelo De Biase, Policy Analyst, OECD
- Stefania Ilinca, Technical Officer for LTC, WHO’s Regional Office for Europe
- Lech Uliasz, Deputy Director Intergenerational Activity Centre “Nowolipie”, City of Warsaw, Poland
- Kai Leichsenring, Executive Director, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research
- Dana Bachmann, Head of Unit - Social Protection, European Commission
12:25-12:30 Closing Remarks
- Alfonso Lara Montero, CEO, European Social Network
You can now access the presentations shared during the Workshop on Long-Term Care here.
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