Think of the social worker who stayed late to find housing for a family in crisis. The planner who redesigned a service to help older people stay in their homes longer. The manager who built a partnership between health and social care teams that nobody thought possible. Across Europe, this work happens every single day, but far too often, it goes unrecognised.
The European Social Services Awards (ESSA) exists to change that.
Shining a light on what works
Now in its eighth edition, ESSA is Europe's most prestigious platform for recognising excellence and innovation in social services. Since its launch, the Awards have honoured more than 300 finalists from across Europe and the wider international community, bringing together over 1,000 participants at its annual Awards Ceremony.
When outstanding practice is named and celebrated, it inspires peers and informs policymakers. For the European Social Network (ESN), this is central to our mission. We believe that excellence in social services should not stay hidden. The Awards are our most direct tool for ensuring it does not.
Celebrating excellence
The theme of ESSA 2026 speaks directly to one of the defining challenges of our time: Social Services: Breaking Down Silos, Building Systemic Change.
Across Europe, social services are under pressure. Demographic change, rising inequalities, digital transformation, and growing demand for integrated care are stretching systems that were not always designed to work together. Too often, services remain organised in sectoral silos, limiting professionals' ability to coordinate, creating barriers for the people who need support, and reducing the overall impact of care.
This year's Awards seek to celebrate initiatives that are tackling this fragmentation with courage and creativity. We are looking for practices that demonstrate how collaboration, innovation, and integrated approaches can transform outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
Successful submissions will demonstrate improved coordination between professionals and across services; stronger, more integrated service delivery; greater accessibility and a genuine person-centred approach; and scalable innovation that can inspire others to follow suit.
See you in Rome
The eighth edition of ESSA will take place on 19-20 November 2026 in Rome, Italy, hosted by the Lazio Region (Regione Lazio). It promises to be an exceptional gathering of social services leaders, practitioners, and innovators from across Europe.
Apply and make your work count
If your organisation is driving systemic change in social services, if you are building bridges across sectors, removing barriers for people using services, or piloting integrated approaches that are genuinely making a difference, this is your opportunity.
The Call for Applications is now open until 15 June. Submit your initiative, put your team's work on the European stage, and join a growing community committed to raising the bar for social services across the continent.
