In Europe, there is no common definition of social services. However, according to a 2022 study by the European Commission, social services can be distinguished between:
- Mainstream social services, put in place for groups of people to support the development of the person or their autonomy and promote the conciliation of work and family life for their relatives. Examples are early childhood education and care, especially for children with disabilities or children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and long-term care for children and adults with dependency needs due to disability, health conditions, or old age.
- Personal targeted social services, put in place to respond to specific individual (or family) needs to safeguard the person’s fundamental rights and facilitate their social inclusion. These needs can concern employment, debt, alcohol or drug addiction, family breakdown, etc. Examples are advice or coaching for unemployment, addiction rehabilitation, child protection, social housing, and crisis centres.