Welcome to the July 2010 issue of the Family and Parenting Institute's newsletter - Family Focus. Please subscribe to this newsletter.

1. News
2. Family Policy Digest
3. Horizon Scan
4. Forward Look
5. Notice Board

News

Families and the new government

The Family and Parenting Institute hosted a headline-grabbing Westminster conference on 13 July which saw the coalition government's family policy hotly debated. The event brought together policy makers and family sector experts in a bid to establish the priority issues for the new government if it is to succeed in making Britain a family friendly society. Speakers included Children's Minister Sarah Teather, Dr Samantha Callan of the Centre for Social Justice, and Mike Brewer of the Institute for Fiscal Studies..

The delegates and speakers reviewed the Family and Parenting Institute's UK Family Friendly Report Card which awarded the country low grades on family policy. Speeches from leading experts recorded at the event can be viewed at www.familyandparenting.org/familyPolicySeminar

The conference also received coverage in the Guardian after Sarah Teather revealed that the coalition government was still divided on the issue of tax breaks for married couples.

Guardian

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Family Policy Digest

The items in this month's digest include: the Munro Review of child protection; the Childhood and Families Taskforce; the coalition's Budget; an update on the Family Justice Review; experimental British Crime Survey data on crimes against under 16s and the launch of the Children's Society Fatherhood Commission.

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Horizon Scan

Parents' Week 2010: Knowing Families – registration now open

The 11th national Parents' Week runs from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 October and registration for supporters is now open.

Register now for your limited edition Knowing Families book to support your Parents' Week events. After registration, event ideas can be accessed and a media pack can be downloaded.

We are keen to work with national organisations and local authorities to raise the profile of family support during Parents' Week. If you would like to become a Parents' Week partner, please email: sophie.linington@familyandparenting.org.

Volunteering as a family

Saturday 30 October will be CSV's Make a Difference Day – the UK's biggest single day of volunteering. This year the campaign is encouraging families to volunteer together as a bonding event.

CSV says that 'the campaign is a great way for organisations to recruit volunteers, build links with other groups and gain press coverage. Free materials on offer include a handbook full of ideas, case studies and advice and a free Action Pack containing t-shirts, posters and certificates to help publicise your activity and thank volunteers.'

Events for the campaign will be taking place between 23 October and 7 November. To request any of the free materials, email difference@csv.org.uk or call on Freephone 0800 284 533. To find out more visit www.csv.org.uk/difference .

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Forward Look

Here you can find out the latest information on events in the sector.

Email info@familyandparenting.org to add your event

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Notice Board

Family Links scoops Centre for Social Justice award

The charity Family Links has received a prestigious award from the Centre for Social Justice. It was presented on July 14 to Programme Director Shirley Stephenson by Jemima Khan at a London ceremony.

The judges commented that "Family Links has a vision for impacting the next generation by breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty, and has an admirable pursuit of long term goals. Family Links targets the most deprived areas and thoroughly deserves this award. Over 500 charities were considered."

www.familylinks.org.uk/

Family Links is part of the Family Room, a coalition of 15 charities (including the Family and Parenting Institute) which will be hosting a series of fringe events at the Lib Dem, Labour and Conservative party conferences, focusing specifically on continued investment in families.

Family Room

Are housing policies helping poor families?

A new web tool has been created to help housing providers quickly and easily assess how their policies affect poor families. Equip has been developed for the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. It promises to gauge the impact of existing or new housing policies on service users. This can be done both by considering them as a homogenous group and as part of distinct groupings (such as 'households with disabled members').

The impetus for the tool came from the realisation that little consideration is being given to assessing the impact of the housing policies of Housing Associations.

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Michael Connellan

Media Relations Manager
www.familyandparenting.org
July 2010
Current subscribers - 16767
Family Focus is published monthly.

Last updated: 20th July 2010 at 02:07:48