COFACE was originally founded in 1958 as the European Action Committee of the International Union of Family Organizations. Over time, it gained more independence, and in 1979 turned itself into an international not-for-profit voluntary organization with the name Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Community, and now the European Union. In June 2016, the General Assembly agreed on a new name: COFACE Families Europe.

COFACE’s focus is essentially on policies and legislation that impact the lives of children and families, in particular in the fields of social protection and inclusion, safeguarding the rights of disabled and dependent persons, prevention and fighting child poverty, reconciling family and work life, migration, inclusive education and early childhood education and care, parenting support services to families, information and communications technologies, health and consumer policies and other relevant policy areas.

COFACE Families Europe advocates for policies of non-discrimination and equal opportunities between persons and between family forms, and specifically supports policies aimed at increasing equality between women and men, with a special focus on reconciliation between work, care and family life.