Welcome to the April 2009 issue of the Family and Parenting Institute's newsletter – Family Focus. To subscribe to this newsletter click here

1. News
2. Family Policy Digest
3. Horizon scan
4. Forward look
5. Notice board
6. Consultations

News

Working parents

The first 26 weeks of maternity leave should be paid at 90 per cent of the mother's salary according to the Working Better report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The report also said that fathers should be given four months' well-paid parental leave which can be taken after the mother's six months of maternity leave comes to an end.
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An extra 4.5 million parents of children aged 16 and under now have the right to request flexible working. This is on top of the 6 million parents who were already eligible.
Equalities Office

Schools and parents

If schools are to succeed, "more parents have to put more effort into their parenting and into creating the conditions in which their children come to school ready and willing to learn" said Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in her article in the Observer (Sunday April 5) ahead of the ATL's annual conference (06-09 April 2009).
Observer

Schools need to do more to engage parents in school life and their children's education, says the Family and Parenting Institute's new publication 'School-Parent Partnerships: Emerging strategies to promote innovation in schools' which was reported in the Guardian this week.
Guardian
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Child care fees for grandparents?

Grandparents should be paid for childcare and given 'granny leave' according to a new report, 'Rethinking Family Life: exploring the role of grandparents and the wider family', from Grandparents Plus.
Grandparents Plus

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Family Policy Digest

This month's digest has research on the effects of inequality and deprivation on education and health; children's perspectives on contact with fathers who were domestic abuse perpetrators; and a literature review on what matters in parenting.

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Horizon Scan

Health Visitor Summit

A summit bringing together the Government, the union Unite/CPHVA and other organisations will be held in May. It will discuss the health visiting service and the Government's plans to increase the number of health visitors.
Unite/CPHVA

Budget announcement

Alistair Darling will make his Budget statement to the House of Commons on 22 April 2009 at 12:30pm.
Treasury

Parenting Services reports launch

Four new reports from the Family and Parenting Institute will be officially launched on June 2. Two of the reports - 'Assessing and meeting the need for parenting support services' and 'Mapping and analysis of parenting services in England' - are already available.
More

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Forward Look

Find out about events and seminars happening across the sector including the 'Making Links: Crossing Boundaries' event run by the Association for Infant Mental Health (aimhuk) on 15 May 2009.

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Notice board

Families and the recession

'What do we know about the impact of recessions on family relationships?' is a new paper from the Family and Parenting Institute. This study informs our understanding of the likely impact of the current crisis on family relations through a review of research on family functioning during other recessions.
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Annual Report 07-08

The Family and Parenting Institute's annual report for 07-08 is now available to download. It includes information and case studies from the Parenting Fund and Early Learning Partnership Project as well as details of the Meet the Parents event with Michael Gove, Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
More

Comments wanted

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is currently seeking 'lay' individuals (i.e. not medical professionals or medical researchers) who would be prepared to comment on two short research briefs. The briefs are about dietary interventions and a weight management programme. Please email Marie Kenny for further information - mmk@southampton.ac.uk
HTA

 

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Consultations

Consultations due to close in April and May include a consultation from the DCSF on young people and alcohol and a Home Office consultation about violence against women.

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Emma Brennan Press & PR Officer
www.familyandparenting.org
April 2009
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Last updated: 9th April 2009 at 11:04:11