Recent developments in healthcare and social care policy are challenging the scope of and theoretical justification for claims based on notions of family responsibility. The considerations cover a wide range, from normative issues of (for example) the basis on which we should expect responsibility to be present, to empirical considerations of how responsibilities come to exist and are enacted in a range of familial situations. This summer school will explore new theoretical and practical approaches to address the challenges posed by responsibilities generated by new forms of healthcare and social care practice. In particular, we will examine the significance of people’s key relationships (such as with family and community), and how people deliberate and decide about their responsibilities. Research questions and themes to be addressed include -what ‘family’ means; -why families matter; -negotiating responsibilities; familial roles in decision making; -justice within families. Participants will enhance their knowledge and understanding of the theoretical approaches to ethics of families, and their applications. There will be ample opportunities for participants to present their own research and benefit from feedback from scholars with international reputations.