Founded in 1974 and part of the San Paolo Group, the International Centre for Family Studies ETS is a non-profit institution under the direction of the sociologist Francesco Belletti.

CISF acts as a national hub for research and analysis on family-related issues, developing studies and projects in collaboration with academic and institutional partners both in Italy and internationally. It also promotes cultural initiatives and professional training activities targeted at social workers, local authorities, public administrators, associations, and volunteers.

The Documentation Centre of CISF, available to students, professionals and researchers, offers 8,000 thematic publications, hundreds of magazines, and about 60,000 digital publications (in Italian and in English).

Each year, CISF publishes a comprehensive Family Report, applying a multidisciplinary approach to examine evolving social dynamics that impact families across Italy. The Centre acts as a critical observer and interpreter of social transformations, grounded in an anthropological perspective that views the family as the primary context in which individuals experience relationality, diversity, and intergenerational exchange.

In 2022, CISF established a new Scientific Committee made up of professionals and academics of different fields of study. This provides multidisciplinary knowledge on the evolution of families in Italy, focusing on their inner and outer relations and on public policies on families.

In 2023, the Center launched an International Newsletter addressed to its international audience, aimed at informing about the latest news and events related to the family.