A few days ago, a news story broke in the media that chilled us. It was, presumably, one of the most harrowing cases of violence against a baby by its parents that has been disclosed. As soon as it became known – and in the supposed search for context – several media outlets emphasized an aspect of this context that immediately aroused my indignation as a social work professional for 30 years. The greatest surprise of pundits and supposed 'experts' was how this situation had occurred, given that it involved a family they described as 'normal.' In this context, 'normal' referred to the fact that they lived in a neighborhood not designated as an area at risk of social exclusion, the father and mother worked, and furthermore, the mother was a nurse. In short – and without calling it such – it was defined as a family that had no financial problems. Thus, when reference was made to a "normal" family in these terms, it follows that all families with a situation of economic precariousness are not normal and, on the other hand, I also deduce from the context that what is said without being said is that, in families where there is no poverty, it is not usual for violence to occur or we have no way of explaining it. It seems particularly interesting to me to emphasize what is the mental framework that underlies half-said words. These frameworks can often determine people's lives without express intent. In this case, we are talking about stigma towards poverty, now called aporophobia. Under this classist premise, we understand that children in economically vulnerable families are always at risk and, therefore, under observation, control, and suspicion. On the other hand, those children for whom – due to the economic situation of their living environment – there are no mechanisms that allow the alarm bell to be sounded, may be experiencing situations of neglect or physical, psychological, or emotional violence without any protection mechanism being deployed, except in cases of extreme severity like this one.Although, in general, there is a high level of professionalism in the various public systems for child and adolescent protection, as well as in the health system, stigma can operate and does operate both at a structural level and in the specific area of individual perception. Stigma leads us to accept as a society a system where all children who attend only private circuits (especially educational and health) do not receive the same level of control as in the public sphere. Precisely because we think that in “normal” families all this does not happen. And, on the other hand, we have also accepted that the places where families go to request economic aid for situations of economic vulnerability are analyzed from top to bottom. Everything is understood and explainable from a particular analysis, but the final result is a structural classism and often racism that presents a bias in the social perception regarding the relationship between violence and economic inequality.

The growth of the economy translated last year into the lowest level of household and business debt in 25 years. And, on the other hand, household financial wealth, resulting from the difference between assets held and debts, reached a record of 2.645 trillion euros, representing 156.8% of GDP, compared to the average of 149.1% since 2022, according to data from the financial accounts of the Spanish economy published by the Bank of Spain.

The war in Iran has once again put inflation at the center of economic debate. As already happened with the invasion of Ukraine, the rise in energy prices is beginning to spread to the rest of the economy and is once again straining the cost of living. The OECD announced this week an increase in inflation of around 3% for this 2026.

Some families know exactly which school they want for their children, while others begin an intense research process after a positive pregnancy test. My first thought would be that the perfect school doesn't exist. Just like perfect parents and the perfect job don't exist. There will always be something that feels off, and you'll have to define your true red lines. I do think it's very important to consider different educational options and visit more than one school, whether at open houses or by having a personal interview. Let's be honest, if we go to different dealerships to buy a car, this infinitely more important task requires our time and a clear understanding of the school where we'll pre-enroll.

One of the major problems facing Catalonia's primary sector is the severe lack of generational replacement. Although the demand for labor in this sector is very high, bureaucracy and the difficult conditions in which they work Farmers and ranchers seem to be discouraging younger generations from wanting to dedicate their professional lives to agriculture. The succession of family farms is at a critical juncture. At least, that's what this confirms. a technical dossier prepared by the General Directorate of Agri-food Companies in 2024 The study indicates that farmers under 40 years old represent only 11% of farms in the European Union (EU), while in Catalonia this figure plummets to 7%. "A combination of social, economic, environmental, and cultural factors affects the health of the agricultural sector and puts many current farms on alert, as they do not foresee a natural succession," the same study argues. And what is this natural succession? It's the children, who don't follow in their parents' footsteps.

Catalan households allocate 43.5 out of every 100 euros of their income to basic expenses, such as housing, groceries, and energy consumption (electricity, water, and fuel). This amount, which represents an average of 1,342 euros per month, is part of the third Planeta Propietario Barometer. The analysis, prepared by the Mutual Association of Property Owners, reveals the highest figure since the study began. It shows that household bills, which consume a significant portion of the minimum wage (SMI) – €1,184 per month last year – mean that 3 out of 10 Catalans have difficulty paying for these basic expenses. Households where the family depends on a single minimum wage earner must allocate more than their entire net income to basic expenses, leaving no room for savings or unexpected costs. However, Catalonia is not the autonomous community where basic expenses consume the largest share of income. Ahead of them are the Balearic Islands, with 50.1%, Andalusia (49%), the Canary Islands (47.9%), and the Community of Madrid (46.2%), according to the same study, based on interviews and questions posed to 2,339 men and women over 18 years of age, distributed across autonomous communities according to their weight in the total. Housing, which limits rents in high-demand areas, is a key factor.

"I have a school very close to home, but there are so many vulnerable students." "I've found a high school with resources, good teachers, and attractive facilities, but it takes in too many immigrants and children from dysfunctional families." "I'm interested in a school's educational project, but it's extremely complex..." Now that school pre-registration is approaching, it's no surprise to hear phrases like these, which contribute to the continued high level of segregation in our education system. The problem is not solved, even though the [report/document/report/etc.] was published in 2019. Pact against School Segregation, signed by the Catalan Ombudsman, the Catalan Government, and several city councils.

Before becoming a mother, I had very firm convictions about who I was and what my path would be. I didn't imagine the extent to which motherhood transforms you completely, the extent to which I myself would become a different person. I thought it would be harder for me to stop prioritizing myself, and that I would sometimes experience it with unease or as a loss.

The stock market and capital markets have yet to fully capture the interest of Spanish families. The level of investment by Spanish households in these markets remains low compared to other eurozone countries. Currently, savings allocated to listed shares, bonds, investment funds, and other products represent the equivalent of 66% of gross domestic product (GDP), well below the European average (94%). This figure also differs significantly from economies such as Denmark (194%) and the Netherlands (164%), according to the latest report from the Association of Financial Markets in Europe (AFME), covering the first half of this year.

Rosalía is a name of Latin origin that the singer from Sant Esteve Sesrovires has popularized, but it's practically nonexistent in the census. It's not a name that families today choose when naming their daughters. We've gone from around 600 women with the name Rosalía (with and without the accent) in the 1950s to fewer than ten today. The average age of Rosalías in Spain is 61.5 years, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Zamora, Salamanca, Almería, and Ourense are the provinces where we find the most. Because it's such an uncommon name, "any fluctuation attracts attention, such as the concentration of several Rosalías in the municipality of Capçanes, in the Priorat region. Could they be from the same family?" wonders Francesc Calafell, a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology CSIC-UPF, who adds that it's also a name that is sometimes spelled Italia (Italy).

"When I arrived with the foster family, everything was new. I had much more freedom, I could do many more things than in a center. Being taken in was like a gift, I will always say that," explains Laura Frau, a foster child for 12 years. Her biological family couldn't take her, so at the age of 6, social services referred her to a foster home run by the General Directorate for Child and Adolescent Care (DGAIA), an agency of the Generalitat (Catalan government) responsible for caring for minors who lack family members.

This Tuesday's Council of Ministers approved the extension of maternity and paternity leave, as well as childcare leave. "In this case, it's for a good cause," argued the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, at a press conference this Tuesday.

The net wealth of Spanish households grew by 8.1% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period a year ago, reaching €2.4 trillion, according to financial accounts published by the Bank of Spain. The same report shows a moderation in household debt, reaching 43.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), its lowest level since the first quarter of 2000.

The rise of far-right thinking in our society has consequences that also affect life in schools. But what we should ask ourselves is whether we, at school, are sufficiently effective in counterbalancing this ideological trend, or whether we are unwittingly fueling it.

Miquel Roura has spent hours and hours researching genealogy platforms where users can post the results of a DNA test to find matches with other people. When there is a "match "Genetic" websites allow you to locate people with whom you have some degree of consanguinity and thus reconstruct your family tree.. For him, this is not a simple hobby of genealogy, but the only way he has found so far to discover his genetic origins. "Genetic information," he criticizes. As an example of the effects this has on his daily life, he explains: "Those of us who are parents often find that in pediatric consultations we are asked about our family history. I have to say that I have no knowledge." A proposal to modify the state law on assisted human reproduction. Judicial action to force a reform that would allow knowledge of genetic origins and that, they clarify, would not imply a legal link of paternity with the donor. Regarding the experiences of more than a hundred people who have joined the association, Sellés explains that "some clinics provide information such as skin color or blood type, others go further and even say what the donor studied or what their job was." On the other hand, he complains that in other cases, the clinic "does not even provide the risks of the company; it must provide this information. "It's up to each company, and in practice, the minimum requirements the law gives us aren't even met," he criticizes.

June arrives and the topic of whether it's necessary to give gifts to teachers comes up again. I even asked ChatGPT what he thought, and he said, "It's a nice gesture if it's something simple and done with respect." Of course, give a gift to whoever you want, that's all that's missing. You can offer a thoughtful gift to the yoga teacher, the neighbor who keeps your packages, or even give some flowers to the teacher. bun From the recreation your son loves so much and this year he says he's folding. The fact that we're questioning the art of making others happy makes me seriously consider what we've become. I sincerely tell you that giving makes me very happy. Even happier than receiving gifts because I never know what face to make, and it always makes me suffer that the other person thinks I didn't like it. Am I in favor of giving gifts? Always, yes.

One in three children live in poor families. It is for these 470,000 children that the Generalitat (Catalan government) is proposing to reform the current benefits system to increase the number of families receiving aid to cover 44% of the child population. The goal is to reduce the child poverty rate, "at least" to bring Catalonia in line with the European Union average, according to the president of the Generalitat (Catalan government), Salvador Illa, during the presentation this Monday of a plan that formulated a year ago by the executive chaired by Pere Aragonès. For this year, the Government will allocate approximately 700 million euros.

It all started when Àngels heard on a Catalunya Ràdio programme the testimony of a woman who had been a foster family on several occasions and spoke with enthusiasm. She asked her husband, Agustín, if he would be interested in them becoming a foster family too and he immediately agreed. At that time they had two biological children, Marc and Maria, aged six and nine respectively, and there was quickly a family consensus. "They didn't know what it was, we told them they would come for a while. For them it was like a game," recalls Àngels. They did the paperwork and shortly after Yasmina arrived, the first of the nineteen children they have taken in for almost thirty years.

In Spain there are almost two million single-parent families, 81.4% of which are headed by a woman. Most of these households are single-parent due to divorce or separation. In the words of Xavier Roigé, professor of the Department of Social Anthropology at the UB, "contrary to popular belief, this is a constant element in history, the main cause of which was family abandonment or widowhood." Roigé insists that what is "historically new" is single parenthood by choice. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in Spain from 2012 to 2022 the number of single mothers by choice has increased by 32.8%. In Roigé's opinion, the increase in this single motherhood "is mainly due to the dissociation of the link between conjugability and motherhood." Today, it is possible and viable for a woman to have a child without needing a partner, "either through assisted reproduction techniques or through adoption."

Passeig de Gràcia has seen it all. What began as a cart path to link unwalled Barcelona and Vila de Gràcia at the beginning of the 19th century, has ended up being, according to the latest figures from ASCANA for 2023, the most expensive commercial axis in Catalonia with a rental price per square metre of €3,460, a figure only surpassed by 0,000 euros. But beyond the ranking of prices paid by companies that see Passeig de Gràcia as a business centre, this transformation has also had a full impact on the modification of the urban landscape of Barcelona.