Increasing geopolitical instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and cyberattacks have meant recent years have been strongly characterised by multiple unexpected crises. Uncertainty and crisis are two terms that will continue to shape Europe’s future, and we need to be prepared. In this context, social services have and will have to continue adapting while continuing to support vulnerable populations.
However, a major gap still exists in understanding and determining the concrete role social services can play during emergencies and how they can be better prepared to address them.
The 2026 ESN Annual Seminar on Social Services Crisis Preparedness and Management, taking place in Helsinki, Finland on 24-25 September 2026, will explore how social services can better prepare for and respond to emergencies by strengthening skills, resources, coordination, and crisis management planning at local, regional, national, and European levels.
To delve into this complex yet crucial topic, participants of the Seminar will have the chance, through the exchange of good practices and presentations from experts in the field, to:
- Learn about the Finnish model of social services crisis preparedness and management
- How to address the needs of the most vulnerable effectively before, during and after a crisis hits
- Different approaches to risk assessment and management
- Learn how to include social services and vulnerable people in the development of national, regional and local crisis management plans and the benefits and challenges this can have
- How to bring into practice ESN’s Crisis Management Framework for Social Services to use it for better crisis preparedness and management
- Key features of emergency social services
- Youth and young social workers perspectives into crisis management
Through expert input and the exchange of good practices, the Seminar will also examine how future EU funding, including the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034), can support preparedness for crisis situations.
If you work for an ESN Member Organisation and wish to attend the event, please contact Ebubekir Isik (ebubekir.isik@esn-eu.org) or Inés Suñer Soler (ines.suner@esn-eu.org) for information.
PROGRAMME
Thursday, 24 September 2026
10:00 - Opening Session
10:30 - 11:30 - Plenary 1: The Finnish model of crisis preparedness and management
In this session, we will hear about how the Finnish model of crisis preparedness and management works. We will hear from experts at the national, regional and local levels, and about different projects, best practices and legal frameworks that have proven successful in creating crisis preparedness and management models that are inclusive and well coordinated.
11:30-12:30 - Plenary 2: Social Services crisis management and preparedness models in Europe
In this session, we will hear about different best practices from across Europe on crisis preparedness and management in the field of social services. The best practices were gathered through an ESN questionnaire which identified policy and practice in the field across more than 20 countries.
13:30 - 14:30 - Plenary 3: Protecting vulnerable populations in crises
In this session, we will hear about how to better protect the needs of vulnerable people in times of crisis and the benefits of including them in the preparation of crisis preparedness and management pans. We will hear from examples of across Europe focusing on the specific needs of: People with disabilities, children, refugees and homeless people. We will also focus on what challenges persist and how to address them.
14:30 - 15:00 - Setting the Scene
In this session, we will hear about the European Social Network’s activities on crisis preparedness and management.
15:30 - 17:15 - Parallel Thematic Discussions
Discussion 1 : Preparing Social Services workforce and management for emergencies
In this session, Managers, directors and social workers will have the chance to learn from experts on the field how to be better prepared to address a crisis in social services.
Discussion 2: Data Management, Risk and Threat Assessment, and interagency cooperation, key elements to address a crisis effectively
In this session we will hear about several innovative models of data management, risk and threat assessment and interagency cooperation as key elements to address a crisis effectively.
Thursday, 24 September 2026
09:00 - 11:00 - Site Visits
11:30 - 12:00 - Reporting back from parallel discussions
Rapporteurs report back from discussions on emergency in social services, data management and effective cooperation.
11:30 - 12:45 - Plenary 4: Towards a more resilient and prepared Europe
In this session, we will hear about the European perspective to Crisis Management, where we are, to what extend the views of social services and vulnerable people are taken into account at the EU level, what challenges still remain and where are we headed to. We will hear from both the institutional and civil society side about what are the key steps to foster more resilient and inclusive societies.
All confirmed speakers to be announced shortly.
Partners
