Pregnancy Complications
Infant- and Family-Centered Developmental Care
Respiratory Infections
Neonatal Eye Health
Hygiene
Rare Diseases
The Congress of Joint European Neonatal Societies (jENS) is a leading international event that brings together neonatologists, pediatricians, nurses, researchers, industry partners, and parent representatives from around the world. Co-organized by GFCNI, the European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR), and the Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies (UENPS), jENS is the first congress where parents and healthcare professionals collaborate as equal partners in shaping the program.
Covering a wide range of topics - from neonatal neurology to infant- and family-centered developmental care - jENS features pre-congress courses, hands-on workshops, and expert-led sessions that highlight innovation, diversity, and collaboration in neonatology. GFCNI proudly leads scientific sessions and pre-courses focused on strengthening partnerships between families and healthcare providers, driving tangible improvements in neonatal care and long-term outcomes.
Since its inaugural congress in 2015, jENS has grown into a prestigious global platform, welcoming 1,500–2,000 participants every two years. It serves as a hub for knowledge exchange, groundbreaking research, and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance neonatal health worldwide.
Join us in shaping the future of neonatal care!
jENS 2025, the 6th Congress of the Joint European Neonatal Societies, took place in Belgrade from October 21 to 25, 2025. The congress once again served as a key platform for sharing cutting-edge research, clinical innovation, and lived experience – all with the shared goal of improving outcomes for preterm and critically ill newborns worldwide.
GFCNI was honored to co-organize jENS for the sixth time. This year’s program placed a strong emphasis on infant- and family-centered developmental care, patient safety, and global collaboration, bringing together healthcare professionals, scientists, and parent representatives from across the globe.
Our contributions included a pre-congress course, five scientific sessions, a lunch symposium, and a workshop, as well as active participation in oral presentations and discussions throughout the week. We were also proud to present the GFCNI Award as part of the jENS Awards 2025, recognizing outstanding advocacy for families and newborn health.
The 6th Congress of Joint European Neonatal Societies (jENS 2025) began with an inspiring day of pre-congress courses that set the stage for a week of knowledge exchange and collaboration. GFCNI proudly hosted the session “Infant- and Family-Centered Developmental Care: Enhancing Breastfeeding and Bonding in the NICU,” highlighting the central role of parents in neonatal health.
Throughout the morning, experts from around the world explored how skin-to-skin care and breastfeeding support foster vital parent–infant bonding and strengthen developmental outcomes. İlknur Okay (Turkey) offered a powerful patient perspective on why these practices matter most to families. Roy Philip (Ireland) followed with practical insights into implementing skin-to-skin and breastfeeding support in the NICU, underscoring evidence-based methods that benefit both babies and parents.
Later sessions focused on integrating infant- and family-centered approaches into everyday care. Karel O’Brien (Canada) discussed how these practices improve quality of care, while Nikk Conneman (Netherlands) emphasized the importance of cultivating a welcoming culture within healthcare teams. In the afternoon, Renee Flacking (Sweden) explored how to sustain positive breastfeeding experiences during and after NICU stays, and Annie Janvier (Canada) shared valuable strategies for helping parents cope during challenging hospital journeys.
The day concluded with the official Opening Ceremony, where global neonatal experts gathered to celebrate the start of jENS 2025. The highlight of the evening was the keynote lecture, “Global Challenges in Newborn Health – Insights, Vision, and Expertise,” delivered by Dr. Gagan Gupta (USA). His address underscored the urgent need for equitable, evidence-based care for newborns worldwide and set an inspiring tone for the days ahead. The ceremony closed with welcoming remarks and a lively reception, reflecting the spirit of collaboration that defines the jENS community.
This opening day reaffirmed GFCNI’s commitment to promoting infant- and family-centered developmental care and to empowering both parents and professionals. The exchange of expertise and lived experience highlighted why global collaboration remains key to improving newborn outcomes everywhere.
The first full day of jENS 2025 focused on the lifelong impact of prematurity and the importance of family-centered care in improving health and quality of life.
In the morning, GFCNI Chairwoman Silke Mader (Germany) and former Medical Director Luc Zimmermann (The Netherlands) co-moderated the session “Long-Term Effects of Prematurity and the Burden of RSV on Health and Quality of Life.” Speakers explored how early respiratory infections and prematurity influence long-term outcomes for children and families. Highlights included new data on the burden of RSV infections presented by GFCNI’s Christina Tischer and Ilona Trautmannsberger (Germany), and insights from Dieter Wolke (UK) on developmental follow-up and quality of life in preterm populations. Further studies examined school-age performance, lung development, and parents’ experiences of caring for children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
During the day, GFCNI’s BronQ Family study was also featured by Steve Abman (USA) in his keynote on bronchopulmonary dysplasia, recognizing the project’s contribution to understanding the long-term impact of chronic lung disease on families.
In the early afternoon, GFCNI’s Teresa Primavesi-Poggio (Germany) co-chaired the Short Oral Session on Parental Involvement and Global Health, highlighting international research on family participation in neonatal care – from mental health and bonding to culturally adapted care models worldwide.
The day closed with the session “How Can We Improve Preterm Infant Nutrition, Feeding, and Growth?”, again moderated by Silke Mader and Luc Zimmermann. Roy Philip (Ireland) discussed individualized nutrition planning, while Silke Mader emphasized the importance of actively involving parents in the nutritional pathway. Presentations from Europe and New Zealand showed that family-integrated care can shorten hospital stays and increase exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Overall, Day 2 reinforced GFCNI’s core message: partnering with parents is key to better outcomes for preterm infants – from the NICU to long-term health.
Day 3 of jENS 2025 placed a strong focus on improving clinical practice and strengthening family involvement in neonatal care — two core pillars of GFCNI’s mission.
The morning session, “Pain Management in the NICU,” co-moderated by GFCNI Chairwoman Silke Mader (Germany) and Sinno Simons (The Netherlands), explored how neonatal teams can better assess, prevent, and treat pain in preterm and newborn infants. Piet Leroy (The Netherlands) opened with a thought-provoking presentation on whether pain during hospitalization can ever be fully avoided, while Marsha Campbell-Yeo (Canada) highlighted new approaches to parent-led pain care and the value of parental participation in comfort measures. Research updates from Elizabeth Walter-Nicolet (France) introduced evidence from the SUPREMENeo study on premedication before laryngoscopy and the validation of the EVENDOL pain scale for neonatal pain assessment.
GFCNI’s engagement continued in the afternoon with the interactive workshop “Improving Communication with Parents – Background Information and Practical Aspects,” co-chaired by GFCNI’s Teresa Primavesi-Poggio (Germany) and İlknur Okay (Turkey). Experts Gigi Khonyongwa-Fernandez (UK), Francesca Gallini (Italy), and Jos Latour (UK) discussed strategies for effective communication, breaking bad news with empathy, and supporting informed decision-making in neonatal care.
Across all sessions, the message was clear: advancing neonatal care requires collaboration – between healthcare professionals, researchers, and families – to ensure compassionate, evidence-based care for every newborn.
The final full day of jENS 2025 highlighted what lies at the heart of neonatal progress: strong partnerships between professionals and parents, and evidence-based care that supports every newborn’s growth and well-being.
The morning began with the GFCNI session “Transition from Traditional Parent Involvement to a Real Integrated Partnership with Parents in the NICU,” chaired by GFCNI Chairwoman Silke Mader and Head of Policy & Advocacy Teresa Primavesi-Poggio (Germany). Speakers Liisa Lehtonen (Finland) and Karel O’Brien (Canada) shared strategies for integrating parents as true partners in care and overcoming institutional barriers to participation. Presentations from Turkey, Denmark, Sri Lanka, and Malta illustrated the positive emotional and developmental impact of family involvement and co-designed care models worldwide.
At midday, GFCNI hosted the Lunch Symposium on Optimal Nutrition for Preterm Infants, chaired by Roy Philip (Ireland) and Silke Mader. The session focused on the benefits of human-milk-based nutrition and the outcomes of exclusive human-milk diets. Christoph Binder (Austria) presented data showing significant improvements in growth and brain development among preterm infants receiving an exclusively human-milk diet – reinforcing the crucial role of maternal milk and donor milk programs.
In the afternoon, GFCNI led two scientific sessions. GFCNI’s Head of Scientific Affairs & Research, Christina Tischer (Germany), and GFCNI’s former Medical Director Luc Zimmermann (The Netherlands) chaired a panel on Vascular Access, Transfusion, and Patient Safety, featuring new research on blood transfusions, vascular access devices, and open approaches to error management. Simultaneously, Silke Mader co-chaired a session on Global Maternal and Newborn Health with Esin Koç (Turkey), where experts from the WHO and global partners discussed equitable care, follow-up, and innovations in neonatal training and safety.
Day 4 concluded with a shared sense of purpose – uniting parents, professionals, and policymakers to ensure every baby has the best possible start in life.
The final day of jENS 2025 centered on one of the most vital themes in neonatal care: patient safety and teamwork. The GFCNI session “Patient Safety and Error Management,” co-moderated by GFCNI’s Teresa Primavesi-Poggio and Chairwoman Silke Mader (Germany), brought together international experts to discuss how quality improvement and open communication can strengthen neonatal outcomes worldwide.
Cynthia van der Starre (The Netherlands) opened the session with a powerful reminder that safety in the NICU is a team effort, emphasizing how collaboration across disciplines builds a culture of trust and accountability. James Webbe (UK) followed with practical insights on benchmarking and quality indicators as tools for continuous improvement in neonatal care. A series of short presentations showcased global perspectives on innovation and safety. Research from Türkiye, the UK, and Ethiopia explored new approaches to risk assessment, family-centered quality improvement, and reducing admission hypothermia. Highlights included Bhanu Papneja’s (UK) project on promoting delivery room cuddles for all newborns and Kullehe Haddis Yeshanew’s (Ethiopia) initiative to lower hypothermia rates in neonatal intensive care – demonstrating how small changes can have a big impact.
As the congress came to a close, GFCNI reflected on a week of inspiring dialogue, connection, and shared purpose. Across five days of presentations, workshops, and collaboration, jENS 2025 reaffirmed the power of partnership – between families, clinicians, and researchers – to drive safer, more compassionate, and equitable care for every newborn.
See you at jENS 2027!
The jENS Awards 2025 were a highlight of the opening day in Belgrade, honoring outstanding contributions to neonatal and perinatal care across Europe and beyond. Each award celebrated leadership, innovation, and the shared mission of improving outcomes for newborns and their families.
GFCNI Award – Livia Bonnard
Recognized for her remarkable advocacy for families and her tireless efforts to raise standards of care for preterm and sick newborns. Through her coordination of FINE (Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Education) training in Hungary, Livia has helped strengthen family-centered care practices and inspired professionals and parents alike.
ESPR Award – Professor Agnes van den Hoogen
Honored by the European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR) for her exceptional contributions to neonatal nursing, research, and education. Her work continues to empower healthcare professionals and advance evidence-based care for infants and their families.
UENPS Award – Professor Georg Simbruner
Celebrated by the Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies (UENPS) for his lifelong commitment to advancing neonatal medicine and for founding UENPS. His leadership and vision have left a lasting impact on generations of clinicians and researchers worldwide.
It was a privilege to see these outstanding individuals recognized on stage and to witness their dedication inspiring so many in our community.
Congratulations to all awardees – and thank you for your invaluable contributions to the care of newborns and families everywhere.
GFCNI is the first global organization and network to unite patients, families, healthcare professionals,
medical staff, and scientists from different disciplines, fields,
and countries – all with the joint goal of advancing the health and quality of care for newborns and their families across the globe.
GFCNI is a non-profit organization established under German public law. Tax Reference Number: 143/235/22619
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