Social security responses to declining birth rates in Europe
How can social security systems better support families in deciding whether, when, and how many children to have? This question was at the centre of the technical seminar held in Valletta, Malta, with representatives from more than 30 countries. The seminar coincided with the celebration of 70 years of social security in Malta.
Held under the theme Declining birth rates in Europe – Social security challenges and responses, the International Social Security Association’s technical seminar provided a platform for in-depth exchange on demographic developments, the complex drivers behind declining birth rates and social security measures and innovations. This first event of the ISSA European Network (IEN) for the 2026–2028 triennium was hosted by the Ministry for Social Policy and the Family and coincided with the celebration of 70 years of social security in Malta.
The opening ceremony provided an opportunity to present achievements over this period and focus on recent reforms in social security in Malta, highlighting recent measures designed to reduce barriers in the context of low birthrates. Opening the event, the Minister of Social Policy and Children’s, Michael Falzon emphasized the importance of the topic of the seminar and welcomed the opportunity for international exchange and cooperation.
Addressing barriers to family choices
Discussions emphasized that decisions about having children are shaped by a wide range of factors. Introductory presentations pointed to financial considerations, labour market conditions, access to affordable housing, availability of childcare, and persistent gender inequalities as key barriers young people are facing today.
While no simple solution exists, well-designed and adaptable social security policies can help reduce these barriers. The issue combines objective challenges, such as gaps in early childhood education and care provision, with more subjective perceptions that also influence decisions.
Adapting policies to new realities
The programme explored a broad range of social security reforms and innovations, including with regard to parental leave systems and financial support. A recurring theme was the need for greater flexibility in social security arrangements to reflect evolving labour market and family patterns, as well as enhanced visibility for young parents to be able to plan their family decisions with full awareness of the support they may receive to help achieve work-parental life balance. Participants also highlighted factors that matter in designing parental leave systems so that they encourage equal sharing of care responsibilities, thereby supporting gender equality.
Financial measures, including direct benefits and income support, were discussed as essential tools, but speakers stressed that their effectiveness depends on how they interact with other policies, such as childcare provision and employment opportunities.
From evidence to action
Workshops and panel discussions allowed participants to delve deeper into specific topics, including the transition from parental leave to early childhood education and care, the factors influencing decisions to have more than one child, measures to enhance the socio-economic stability of young adults and the use of communication and behavioural insights to promote policy uptake.
In the context of multiple social security measures and close links to other policy areas, including education systems, a key message of the seminar was the need for coherent approaches that provide clear and continued support to families. This was also the topic of the concluding CEO roundtable that emphasized the need for coherent, long-term strategies that align different policy measures and address the multidimensional nature of declining birth rates.
A complex challenge, a shared reflection
While participants acknowledged that there is no miracle solution to reverse demographic trends, the seminar was widely seen as an important step in advancing collective understanding. The open and constructive exchanges provided food for thought for future work within the ISSA European Network.
The topic of declining birth rates aligns closely with the ISSA priorities for 2026–2028, particularly in addressing demographic change and its impact on the sustainability of social security systems. This will be further discussed in the Regional Social Security Forum for Europe 2027 in Austria.