Government Green paper
Family and Parenting Institute's response to the Government's green paper
More
£25 billion annual cost of child poverty
New debates at PC2008
New UN proposals
Independent complaints service
Beverley Hughes to open PC2008
Government launches new UK council for child internet safety
Working mums
Homes Fit for Families - 10 July 2008
Centre for Excellence and Outcomes (C4EO) in children's and young people's services - 10 July 2008Parenting support services - 07 July 2008
Youth Justice - 13 June 2008
Child Poverty – June 13 2008
Mental health - children and parents... - 08 May 2008
International links
Fairer fuel deal for families?- 25 April 2008
What are today's social evils? - 21 April 2008
Families and new technology
Bringing Up Britain
Slim chance of being obese?
Staying Safe: Action Plan
The Children's Plan
Work, income and childcare
Children and young people have safety fears about the new ContactPoint database for children in England
New measures to tackle childhood obesity
Help parents and children have their say about using the internet and video games safely
BBC poll on family life
'Bringing up baby'
Survey of children's freedom
'In work, better off' webchats with Ministers
Ofsted guidance on parental complaints
Money, relationships and the law - University of Exeter seeks co-habitees to complete survey
Narrowing the gap between rich and poor must involve schools, families and communities – Monday 3 September
Balancing family and work?
JRF drive to identify modern 'social evils' Calling practitioners and all parents, children and young people
Safeguarding Children from Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession
Consultancy for Respect Action Areas
NAPP
LAs
Budget
Every Parent Matters
Maternity Care
SETF Families Reivew
The Money Programme
Marriages decrease
McCreaddie won't be taken into care
Johnson rejects marriage as the only way to raise children
Working mothers still face discrimination
Progressive Inequality?
UK is accused of failing children
Meet the parents!
£25 billion annual cost of child poverty
As well as the extreme hardship felt by families there is also a serious financial cost of child poverty to the UK taxpayer and economy.
New research, out yesterday Thursday October 23 2008, from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) revealed that into the UK is running at a £25 billion loss because of child poverty.
The report found that:
- £12 billion of taxpayers money is spent on services that the government spends addressing the effects of child poverty i.e. social services
- another £2 billion is spent in extra benefits paid to adults who grew up in poverty and are now out of work
- And that child poverty is also diminishing UK GDP by at least £11 billion through reduced earnings of those in work, £3 billion of which would have gone to the Exchequer in taxation.
Donald Hirsch, Poverty Adviser at JRF said: "Tackling child poverty would bring a double benefit – for the families whose life chances and quality of life would be improved and for society, which would no longer have to pay such high costs of picking up the pieces."
Mary MacLeod, Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute said: "The report from JRF reiterates the importance of acting on child poverty now – not later. It is vital the Government does what it can to stick to its commitments to half child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020. This research shows the financial costs of not ending child poverty. We cannot underestimate the human costs on families in this country; it can ruin relationships and quash children's chances of a decent future."
View the full report.
New debates at PC2008
8 October 2008
Youth crime and the commercialisation of childhood will be the hot topics for two extra debates at our flagship conference in November, PC2008 – Getting it right for families?
These issues are a great concern for many parents and we will be asking what more can be done to tackle them. The Family and Parenting Institute will bring together leading experts and speakers in both of these fields to debate the issues.
The debates:
(13 November) Should parents be expected to protect their children from commercial pressures?
(14 November) Can parents be expected to solve youth crime?
Click here to find our more about the conference and to book your place.
New UN proposals
3 October 2008
The UN wants to see more protection for children involved in TV reality programmes in the UK to stop them being exploited. That was one of the areas of concern highlighted in the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child report. Sally Gimson, Director of Communications at the Family and Parenting Institute said: "We welcome the UN's proposals for more regulation and it is something that we have been advocating for some time now.
"In some reality TV programmes babies and young children have been subject to outdated parenting practices. They have been left alone for hours to cry and in acute distress for entertainment. Unfortunately the welfare of children in all types of reality TV programmes isn't made paramount.
"Plus, what happens after the camera is switched off and the film crew have gone home? There is no evidence to suggest any follow up is made or the welfare of those involved is monitored.
"If you are a child actor the time you spend in front of a camera, on a set or on stage is extensively regulated. But there's nothing for kids who are involved in reality TV programmes, similar restrictions would go some way to stopping their exploitation."
Independent complaints service
24 September 2008
The Government's plan to overhaul the school complaints procedure and install a new system that is fairer and more efficient was hailed by the Family and Parenting Institute as a true commitment to listening to parents.
New plans, unveiled at the end of September, outlined how parents will be able to refer any issues that they are unhappy with, including those around uniform or behaviour, to an independent service if they feel the school has not addressed their complaint properly.
This gives mums and dads the chance to have their complaint looked at independently and in cases where the school is deemed to have acted inappropriately action, such as requiring the school to review its policies or for the governing body to reconsider its decision, will be taken.
The Family and Parenting Institute is keen for parents to make the most of the opportunity to respond to the consultation.
Beverley Hughes to open PC2008
1 October 2008
Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, will open the Family and Parenting Institute's flagship conference - Parent Child 2008.
The Minister will launch the two day event which will see a host of keynote speakers from across the globe debate issues around family wellbeing and the connection between housing and family relationships.
Speakers include:
- Professor Alan Hayes, Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies on the strains and stresses of families in Australia and lessons from longitudinal studies
- Professor Kathleen Kiernan from York University on the effect of different family settings on children from birth to five
- Patricia Crittenden PhD from the Family Relations Institute in Miami on how to raise parents
- Professor Peter Stratton, from Leeds Family Therapy and Research Centre on family resilience and the implications for practice
- Professor Susan Golombok, Director of the Centre for Family Research at Cambridge University on assisted reproduction and the consequences for children and families.
Plus delegates will also be able to attend a choice thirty workshops on different aspects of working with parents and families
The event takes place in London on 13 and 14 November 2008.
Places are still available and can be booked online, click here for further details.
Government launches new UK Council for Child Internet Safety
29 September 2008
Online bullying, violent video games, advertising to children and creating safer search engines are just some of the issues at the heart of the new UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS).
The Council was launched by the Prime Minister on Monday September 29 2008 and will be chaired by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Home Office. It brings together over 100 organisations from the public and private sector – as well as parents, children and young people.
FPI on board
Mary MacLeod, Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute is one of over 20 members of the Executive Board which will steer the Council's work in making the internet safer for children.
"Parents are very concerned about the internet and the threat it poses to their children," said Mary. "Yet, while there are many pitfalls to surfing the web; there is also a lot to be learnt and gained from it.
"Mums and dads don't want to stop their children benefiting from the internet, but they are very keen to do what they can to protect their children from the dangers it brings whether it be violent video games, explicit content or advertising."
Byron report
The establishment of a UK Council for Child Internet Safety was a key recommendation in Dr Tanya Byron's Report 'Safer Children in a Digital World' which was published in March this year.
Click here to read the DCSF press release.
UK kids most at risk online
Only last week the London School of Economics (LSE) revealed how British children were most at risk when they're online compared to children from other European countries. In its new report 'Comparing Children's Online Opportunities and Risks across Europe' the LSE also highlighted that UK parents are confident their children can cope with the dangers of the worldwide web.
Click here to find out more about the LSE research.
Working mums
28 September 2008
New research from mumsnet.com found that over 90% of mothers who go out to work think they are a good role model for their children and that more than half of them are happy to raise their children and continue working.
In response to the survey, Mary MacLeod, Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute told the Observer newspaper: "'What's been a shame, is the stoking of the mummy wars over recent years, by pitting working mothers against those who choose to stay at home. Whatever choice a woman makes, she feels she has to defend it when presented with research suggesting she might have done the wrong thing."
Mary's comments were based on two new research studies on motherhood from the Open University and a new Family and Parenting Institute publication called 'Listening to Mother' all of which were launched at an event in July hosted by the two organisations.
Homes Fit for Families - 10 July 2008
This paper explores how children and families are affected by their physical environment, both in their home and their immediate neighbourhood. It suggests policy solutions to ensure housing is fit for families. A download will be available shortly
Centre for Excellence and Outcomes (C4EO) in children's and young people's services - 10 July 2008
C4EO aims to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families by identifying and coordinating the evidence of what works at a national, regional and local level. Establishe and funded by DCSF, C4EO is a programme that brings together many of the organisations at the forefront of the children's sector.
FPI will be recruiting parents and carers for an advisory group whose views will have a direct influence on what C4EO does.
Parenting support services - 07 July 2008
Bristol City Council have been working with the FPI on a new
commissioning process to develop a new externally managed parenting
support service targeted at mothers, fathers and carers of children and
young people aged 8-19. This service will be planned and delivered in
partnership with local schools and integrated with a wide range of
mainstream family services. To find out more information and/or apply
please contact:
Jane Taylor, Parenting Commissioner, Bristol City Council, The Park
Centre, Daventry Road, Knowle, Bristol
BS4 1DQ; Tel: 01179039750; e-mail: jane.taylor@bristol.gov.uk
Youth Justice - 13 June 2008
The UK's four Children's Commissioners submited a joint report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
UK Children's Commissioners' Report to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
On youth justice, the Commissioners recommend that the UK Government and devolved administrations should increase the age of criminal responsibility, reconsider the use of ASBOs, reduce the numbers of children in custody in England and Wales and establish a public inquiry on children in custody.
In November 2007 the Family Commission recommended to the United Nations Human Rights Council an increase in the age of criminal responsibility and proposed that criminal prosecution routes should be the exception rather than the rule
A Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review 2007 from the Family Commission
Family Commission - November 2007
An overview of the law as it relates to children and young people is provided in our factsheet published in May 2007
Managing children's behaviour: Parents, children and the law
Family and Parenting Institute - May 2007
Other recent reports that are of interest include:
E Solomon and R Garside; Centre for Crime and Justice Studies - May 2008
J Margo; Institute for Public Policy Research - February 2008
R Sabates, L Feinstein and A Shingal; Department for Children, Schools and Families - February 2008
Davies and W McMahon (eds); Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, King's College London - May 2007
Links to these and more information are available through searching our Family Policy Digest
Child Poverty – June 13 2008
The latest in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series from the Department of Work and Pensions has just been published - covering 1994/5 – 2006/7
In a new paper on child poverty, we look at why child poverty matters, its affects on a child's life chances, how it is measured and what can be done.
Child poverty briefing paper
Family and Parenting Institute – June 2008
Further information is available from the digest.
Mental health - children and parents...
This year's Mind week is from 10 to 17 May and is based on the theme of debt and mental health.
A new CAMHS consultation has been launched -
Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services review - call for evidence
New published reports include:
Stress and resilience factors in parents with mental health problems and their children
Social Care Institute for Excellence
This research briefing discusses the factors that affect parents' and children's ability to deal with parents' mental health problems.
Mental wellbeing of children in primary education: Promoting children's social and emotional wellbeing in primary education
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
And
A new Department of Health Survey shows that attitudes to mental health remain broadly sympathetic
Also - The Parent Know-How programme, as announced in the Children's Plan, was launched in March .
A specific initiative includes information and professional advice to any adult concerned about the mental health or emotional well-being of a child or young person through the Young Minds helpline
More on mental health issues can be found in our digest
International links
Sharron Cole, Deputy Chief Commissioner of the New Zealand Families Commission is visiting the UK and is meeting with people from other organisations who are engaged in work which is similar to the Commission's.
Their work is wide ranging and covers Working Regulations, Family Support, Family & Parenting Support. New Zealand has a strong history of developing new approaches to family policy and services.
Sharron is meeting the FPI on 27 May 2008
Fairer fuel deal for families?
- 25 April 2008Energy companies have promised to do more to help low income households get out of fuel poverty.
This is part of new measures that were announced yesterday following a summit with government Ministers, energy companies and campaigners.
The meeting was hosted by the energy regulator Ofgem in a bid to tackle the needs of those who struggle to pay their gas and electricity bills.
The new measures include educating customers on switching energy suppliers and help for the poorest households.
Earlier this week, charities campaigning for a fairer fuel deal released new research which revealed that over 4 million households are spending more than 10% of their income on fuel. Following the meeting the campaigners welcomed the raft of initiatives but said that the new measures did not go far enough.
What are today's social evils?
21 April 2008Joseph Rowntree Foundation's consultation on modern-day social evils.
The summary is available on their website.Fairer fuel deal for families?
Families and new technology
New technology is part of all our lives and is constantly being examined in response to both the possibilities this allows and the threats posed.
A selection of links is presented here. For a full list search our websitefor "technolog".
Contribution To Debate: Do New Technologies Undermine Or Underpin The Family?
Lydia Plowman / November 2006
Staying In Touch: A Parent's Guide To Mobile Phones
Byron Review welcomed
March 2008
And in our digest
Parent Know-How programme launched
March 2008 Byron review report: Safer children in a digital world
March 2008
Home Access to Technology consultation
January 2008
NSPCC finds computer retailers unhelpful on child safety
November 2007
What Do We Know About Children's Use of Online Technologies? A Report on Data Availability and Research Gaps in Europe
September 2007
Bullying guidance issued
September 2007
Bringing Up Britain
BBC Radio Four is broadcasting the first programme in a new series called Bringing Up Britain on Wednesday 2 April 2008 20:00-20:45
The Family and Parenting Institute's Director of Business Development, Honor Rhodes, is on the expert panel of the first programme.
Slim chance of being obese?
A third of all year-six school children are overweight.
That's according to the Department of Health's latest study into the height and weight of the nation's children which also found that one in four under-fives is obese or overweight.
Since 2005, 900,000 pupils aged five to 11 have taken part in the National Child Measurement Programme: part of the Government's fight to help people lead healthier lives.
Its plans include increasing the amount of PE enjoyed by children a week from two to five hours by 2011.
The Children's Society has also raised questions over the health and well being of young people through its study into the commercialisation of childhood in which 61% of parents said the Government should ban the advertising of unhealthy food.
Staying Safe: Action Plan
The Staying Safe Action Plan was published in response to the Staying Safe consultation on the cross-Government strategy for improving children and young people's safety. Staying Safe was launched for consultation in July 2007, The FPI response to this consultation is available 
here.
This Action Plan sets out the work which Government will take forward over the next three years to drive improvements in children and young people's safety, which will be measured by the new PSA to improve children and young people's safety.
Every Child Matters
THE CHILDREN'S PLAN
On Tuesday 11 December the Government issued its new report The Children's Plan: building brighter futures, with a covering press release. FPI has put together a detailed overview of the plan with a 
covering letter.
WORK, INCOME AND CHILDCARE
The consultation on ending the right to income support for lone parents whose youngest child is 7 or over has just ended. Published responses include those from FPI and One Parent Families|Gingerbread.
A related report, Still home alone, by Karen Buck, a London MP, who examined the lack of childcare for 11 to 14 year olds, comes from 4Children.
Meanwhile the government has commissioned an independent review to look at whether the right to request flexible working should be extended to the parents of older children, and the Department for Work and Pensions has published statistics showing a fall of 133 thousand over the last year in the numbers claiming the key out of work benefits. Minister for Employment Caroline Flint said: "For these people getting off benefits and into work means the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. Finding work can help boost self confidence and improve health as well as ensuring financial security." DWP research shows that more couples are in work and better off, according to new research by the DWP. The proportion of 'work-rich' couples (where both partners are in work) has increased from 57% in 1994/5 to 67% in 2005/6.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE SAFETY FEARS ABOUT THE NEW CONTACTPOINT DATABASE FOR CHILDREN IN ENGLAND
The Office For Standards In Education (OFSTED) has issued a press release on the new report published on 21 November by the Office of the Children's Rights Director for England (OCRD), which found that safety and confidentiality are the main issues for children and young people when asked for their views on the Government proposed rules for running the new ContactPoint database. These reflect some of the concerns expressed by the Family and Parenting Institute in its response to the Government's consultation 
on the proposals for the database in July 2007. See also the news item from the Independent of Monday 26 November 2007, which includes a quote from Mary MacLeod, and the Minister's House of Commons statement about the delays to the implementation of the system.
NEW MEASURES TO TACKLE CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Every year children in Reception and Year 6 have their height and weight measured in schools as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The Government is seeking to improve the effectiveness of the programme by informing all parents of children who take part in the NCMP of their child's results, unless they request not to receive them. Parents will still have the opportunity to withdraw their child from the programme and children can also decide not to participate on the day. Depending on the parliamentary timetable, we hope these changes will be in place for September 2008.
When parents are given their child's results, they will also receive information about healthy eating and lifestyles, and details about where they can go for further information, advice and help.
The NCMP is an important programme in our efforts to tackle childhood obesity. Without accurate data local areas can not plan and commission the children's health services they need. We therefore encourage parents to let their child participate, and not withdraw them, even if parents are not interested in receiving their child's results. There is further information about the programme at: www.dh.gov.uk/healthyliving.
An information booklet Why your child's weight matters, can be downloaded at: www.dh.gov.uk/healthyliving or ordered for free by quoting 277810 from DH Publications Orderline: 08701 555 455 or by faxing 01623 724 524 or emailing dh@prolog.uk.com 
There is also an online child height weight calculator, which will help parents interpret their child's results at www.direct.gov.uk/childweight.
HELP PARENTS AND CHILDREN HAVE THEIR SAY ABOUT USING THE INTERNET AND VIDEO GAMES SAFELY
Dr Tanya Byron has been asked by the Prime Minister carry out an independant review looking at the risks to children from harmful or inappropriate content in video games and the internet. She has launched a consultation including a special 'call for evidence' aimed at children and young people and is asking all those with an interest in parenting and children's issues to make sure that their voices are at the heart of her review. Click here to find out more.
BBC POLL ON FAMILY LIFE
Three-quarters of people in Britain are optimistic about the future for their families, a BBC poll suggests.
Despite dire political warnings about family breakdown, that figure is 24% higher than when the same question was asked in 1964. And of 1,001 adults surveyed, 95% said their families were close - a rise of 4% since 1999.
However, 70% of people still believe family life was more successful in their parents' generation. And asked what lifestyle they would prefer, 7% more people would like to live alone today than in 1999.
BRINGING UP BABY
The following letter was published in the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday 16 October 2007:
Sir
As a group of academics and professionals we are alarmed that Channel 4 is broadcasting such an exploitative parenting series as Bringing Up Baby – the last part of which is to be shown tomorrow. Many techniques used in these programmes are outdated and completely fly in the face of our scientific knowledge about brain development in very young babies.
That anyone should be billed as an expert and allowed to promote ideas such as not making eye contact with babies and not comforting them when they are in distress is at best irresponsible and at worst dangerous. And to see these theories being put into practice with real babies in the name of entertainment is deeply worrying.
Last year, the Family and Parenting Institute surveyed parents to ask them their opinions on TV parenting programmes and some 83% of the respondents said that they found a technique in these programmes helpful to them. So with these programmes having such an influence on parents it is shocking that broadcasters are not exercising more responsibility.
Sadly the exploitation of both babies and children in the pursuit of high ratings is becoming ever more common: the BBC3 programme Baby Borrowers earlier this year was another case in point where babies and young children were "lent" to teenage couples in a programme that was intended to bring in viewers by being shocking.
We call on all production companies to stop making television programmes which give parents irresponsible advice and turn the suffering of tiny babies and children into adult entertainment.
Mary MacLeod
Chief Executive
Family and Parenting Institute
Penny Mansfield
Director
One plus One
Dorit Braun
Chief Executive
Parentline Plus
Dr Shirley Gracias
Chair
The Association for Infant Mental Health UK
Dr Cheryll Adams
Acting Lead Professional Officer
Unite-Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association
Christine Bidmead
Chair of Health Visiting Forum
Unite-Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association
Stephen Scott BSc FRCP FRCPsych
Professor of Child Health & Behaviour
Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
King's College, London
Helen Dent
Chief Executive
Family Welfare Association
The paper also carried an article on the subject.
SURVEY ON CHILDREN'S FREEDOM
The Children's Rights Alliance for England's 'Get Ready for Geneva' project has posted an online survey on the theme of 'freedom'. They would like to find out what children and young people think about their privacy, whether they can get information they need, if they know how to make complaints, and if they feel they can express themselves. This is the third survey in the children's rights investigation, so please pass this link to the survey on to any child or young person you think would be willing to spend 10 minutes filling it in.
'IN WORK, BETTER OFF' WEBCHATS
DWP Ministers will be taking part in webchats to answer questions about the 'In work, better off: next steps to full employment' consultation paper.
Tuesday 9 October at 10.40am
Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, will be taking part in a live webchat on the Number 10 Downing Street website. Go to Number 10 Downing Street website to post your questions to the Secretary of State.
Monday 15 October at 2.30pm
Caroline Flint, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, will be answering questions about helping single parents find work on the [xlink=http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk]Parents Centre website. Email your questions for Caroline Flint to welfare.reform@dwp.gsi.gov.uk .
'In work, better off' was published on 18 July and sets out proposals to help people who have found it most difficult to find work back into sustainable employment.
OFSTED GUIDANCE ON PARENTAL COMPLAINTS
Ofsted has produced guidance for parents and carers whose children's school is giving them causing for concern on when and how to complain to Ofsted, the type of complaints that can be considered and the action parents can expect Ofsted to take in response to a complaint.
MONEY, RELATIONSHIPS AND LAW - UNIVERSITY OF EXETER SEEKS CO-HABITEES TO COMPLETE SURVEY
"Money touches many aspects of our lives - and this often includes our relationships. This survey is part of a larger project that looks at how people organise or manage money in their relationships and the implications this might have for family law. How do you and your partner deal with money in your everyday life?
"The Law Commission for England and Wales is currently considering whether some aspects of cohabitation law should be reformed. We are therefore particularly interested in unmarried couples, their views on money and on living together more generally. Previous research has mostly focused on married couples - this is one of the first studies that is concerned with people who are not formally married." The survey takes 25-35 minutes to complete and cover a range of topics - from views on money, relationships and living together to more general views on domestic life. It is anonymous and there is a prize draw.
NARROWING THE GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR MUST INVOLVE SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
– Monday 3 SeptemberA new report released (Monday 3 September 2007) by the National Children's Bureau, Family and Parenting Institute, and the Institute of Education sets out new ideas of how we can 'narrow the gap' between rich and poor.
Coming at a time when many disadvantaged children in our country do less well than their innate abilities should allow, Reducing Inequalities: realising the talents of all, explores what happens to children at home and in school, and explains the complex dynamics of inherited disadvantage.
The report reveals that it is the middle socio-economic groups who have the highest number of children who, without additional help, will face disadvantage later in life. It highlights that universal services are needed for all children, not just targeted services for the poorest children or those that score worst on risk assessment.
Barbara Hearn, deputy chief executive of the National Children's Bureau and one of the report authors, said: 'The government has said that ensuring every child achieves their potential is one of its highest priorities. This report is groundbreaking in its exploration of the link between children, schools and families and the impact that schools, families and the community have on children's outcomes. We believe that it will inform the work necessary to achieve this laudable aspiration'.
'Evidence tells us that able but disadvantaged children are not doing as well as they should be. This can be changed. If we work to strengthen parent's ability to support learning, children's ability to regulate their own behaviour, rethink the goals of the school experience and extend learning deep into every community, we will see improvement. Without action, schools will remain part of why social disparities pass from generation to generation and children's externalising behaviours* will simply be treated as a problem of discipline'
Findings from the report state that children's chance of success in later life depends on their ability for self-control in stressful situations, not only as has been suggested before on their reading or mathematical ability. The publication also reports that if parents - regardless of their social class, education or wealth – support their child's learning they can reduce inequalities and increase their child's chances in life by having a positive influence at every stage of their development.
-ENDS-
See also: Crack down on inequality - Fiona Millar, September 11, 2007
- This use of 'externalising behaviour' is based on a teacher report of how children behave in class in terms of being naughty, bullying and not paying attention.'
Notes for editors:
1. Reducing Inequalities: realising the talents of all by Leon Feinstein, Barbara Hearn and Zoe Renton with Caroline Abrahams and Mary MacLeod is available from www.ncb-books.org.uk, price: £10 (the report is available as a free download for NCB members)
2. NCB promotes the voices, interests and well-being of all children and young people across every aspect of their lives. As an umbrella body for the children's sector in England and Northern Ireland, we provide essential information on policy, research and best practice for our members and other partners. For further information visit www.ncb.org.uk
For further information on this release contact:
Clare Quarrell, Jessica Singh or Clare Lilley at NCB Media Office
Tel: 020 7843 6044/6045/6047 Email: media@ncb.org.uk
Balancing family and work?
Monday 06 Aug 07A report last month by the Children's Society raises concerns about whether parents in Britain are spending enough time with their children. Children said a happy home was where they spend time as a family.
Meanwhile the Daycare Trust has spoken to lone parents who say they can't go back to work because there is no-one to look after their children in the school holidays – a problem which extra investment in extended schools - The Department of Children Schools and Families has announced an extra £1.3 billion of funding - is trying to address (see below). Daycare Trust: School's out - but for lone parents holidays are not...
If you are rich you can buy your way out of most problems: the Times No kidding, we'll take care of your child -- and your ironing reports on luxury nurseries which do the ironing and the drying cleaning as well as looking after the children, but less well-off working parents find themselves pulled in too many directions according to the Guardian. Free to work even harder.
For more facts and statistics on work-life balance see our fact sheet .
JRF drive to identify modern 'social evils'
Chief Executive Mary MacLeod spoke at the recent Royal Society of Arts/Joseph Rowntree Foundation Event 'What are the 21st Century's Social Evils?' (19 July 2007). An 18-month project set out to explore what people judge to be today's social evils.
'I applaud the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for embarking on this debate that takes us out of the narrower framework of social science into a wider questioning about how we are as a society.'
Her speech highlighted the different social problems and pressures that cause problems in society today.
To read the full speech click here .
To download the full lecture visit the JRF website
Calling practitioners and all parents, children and young people
The DfES is asking for your views on ContactPoint.
This consultation is on the draft guidance for using ContactPoint (formerly called the information sharing index), set up under section 12 of the Children Act 2004. This database aims to make it easy for a practitioner to find out who else is working with a child or young person and will contain basic information on every child in England. It will be accessible to an estimated 330,000 practitioners working with children and young people
Please read the guidance carefully and fill in the consultation response form - the Contactpoint will affect all families:
Family and Parenting Institute chief executive Mary MacLeod said: "Now that the draft guidance has been issued, it is important that as many parents, children and young people should be consulted as possible."
DfES
Safeguarding Children from Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession
This guidance provides advice to practitioners and managers to help them identify and deal with abuse that may be linked to a belief in spirit possession. The guidance is aimed at all agencies working with children.
Full document
Consultancy for Respect Action Areas
The Family and Parenting Institute consultancy team has been hard at work with the 47 local and district councils who have been successful in attaining RESPECT action area status. Our job has been to help them all in acquiring additional money on offer from the DfES to boost parenting resources for the hardest to reach and hardest to help families in their areas. It is a confusing world as they have lots of different initiatives to hold in their minds, all with curious acronyms like FIPS and SPPs.
We have cracked the code and so can you, a FIP is a Family Intervention Project, based on the idea that families in the most trouble (and often causing trouble to others) need intensive support focusing on improving parenting to reduce anti-social behaviour. A SPP is a Senior parenting Practitioner (the so-called SuperNanny) but responsible for co-ordinating parenting services and leading on the new parenting programme initiatives.
We are interested in practitioners' experience of these new attempts to change the ways parents parent their children so if you are working in a RESPECT Action Area and have thoughts you'd like to share with us then do contact Honor Rhodes at rhodes@familyandparenting.org
We would also like to hear from all practitioners who are involved in helping their local authority develop its Parenting Support Strategy, again email Honor at the email above, we'd be very interested to hear about any training you are receiving or offering.
NEW ACADEMY TO IMPROVE PARENTING SUPPORT FOR PARENTS FACING CHALLENGES
The Family and Parenting Institute, with King's College and Parenting UK, have won the £30m grant from the Department for Education and Skills to provide a new Academy for parenting practitioners.
Parenting Leads in Local Authorities
In October 2006 guidance was issues by the DfES to local authorities and Children's Trusts on delivering parenting support. By now all local authorities should have a single commissioner with responsibility for assessing need and co-ordinating delivery of services to parents.Local authorities had until 31 March 2007 to apply for small DfES grants to help them put their strategic approach to parenting support into effect over the next few months.
Budget
The Institute welcomed the Budget as being good news overall for families, but we did voice concerns that the Budget offered little for families who were unable to work and that while there was an increase in Child Benefit for the first child, there were no increases for subsequent children.
Press release
Every Parent Matters
Every Parent Matters was published by the Government, setting out the roles of parents and how Government can help them raise their children. We were pleased to see such emphasis placed on solid, research based initiatives such as the Family and Parenting Institute led Early Learning Partnership Programme. It was disappointing, though, that the report didn't seek to resolve the differences between policies which aim to intervene and help those families most in difficulty and policies which offer support to everyday families who face everyday problems.
Maternity Care
The Independent Midwives Association is fighting Government plans to require them to have professional indemnity insurance despite the fact that no such insurance is currently available to them.
The National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit has produced a survey of women's views about maternity care. The results of the survey can be found here (link). In response to the findings, the Healthcare Commission has announced a major review of maternity provisions in England.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has published 'Maternity matters', the Government's new vision for maternity services which will offer all expectant mothers a choice over where they want to give birth.
Finally, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has launched a consultation on the recommendations relating to women's choice of where to give birth.
The consultation runs until 3 May 2007, but NICE requests that comments are fed in through the stakeholders listed on its website.
SETF Families Review
The Social Exclusion Task Force, based at the Cabinet Office, is currently undertaking a review to identify how services for excluded families can be improved. This
Families Review is one part of a programme of work which will inform the
policy of the SETF and the implementation of their Social Exclusion
Action Plan
Reaching out.
A particular focus of the review will be the extent to which adults' services (both mainstream and specialist) respond to the needs of their clients as parents or carers and family members. The review aims to capture the views of a broad range of stakeholders about the advantages and disadvantages of a 'whole families' approach, as a means to addressing the needs of some of the most disadvantaged families in society.
Inclusion, has been commissioned by the SETF to distribute a call for evidence, comprising approximately ten open ended questions and a request for additional evidence or research which is relevant to the review.
To contribute to this review please click here.
Closing date April 4, 2007
The Money Programme: The Cost Of Kids, Friday 2 March 2007, 7pm, BBC TWO.
From the bbc website
Money Programme: Rising costs causing couples to delay starting families
Category: News
Date: 02.03.2007
A survey for BBC Two's The Money Programme suggests that nearly half of all people who plan to have children are delaying starting a family because of the expense.
The survey commissioned exclusively for The Money Programme: The Cost Of Kids - broadcast on Friday 2 March at 7pm - also found that more than a quarter of women polled say they returned to work before they were ready - with 80% saying the reason for this was financial.
The survey suggests that 43% of people who plan to have children are delaying starting a family until they have saved money.
When asked to identify a reason, or reasons, why they had not yet had children 20% cited wanting to have a bigger house first before starting a family, while 36% wanted a better job.
The cost of raising a child until the age of 21 is estimated to be £180,000* and this figure is rising.
The survey carried out for The Money Programme by YouGov found that just over a quarter (28%) of women polled said they returned to work before they were ready, and 80% of this group said the reason for going back early was financial.
Mary MacLeod, Chief Executive of the National Family and Parenting Institute, is worried that children are becoming a commodity and says if children did not cost so much people would have more.
She told the programme: "We are making it seem as if you have to be in this wonderful perfect position before you take on the responsibility of having children and I find that a great shame.
"I think it kind of buys into the sense that children are a becoming a commodity."
It is estimated that full-time childcare for a child aged two to five costs £13,969.
But the National Day Nurseries Association told the Money programme "quality doesn't come cheap and there is a cost towards that quality".
The survey also suggests that one in five parents (19%) buy products such as toys and gadgets for their children after pressure from them; a further 19% pay for such items on credit; and 32% of parents admit to paying for such products for their children by "going without" themselves.
- ********************************
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,253 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8 and 10 January 2007. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). YouGov plc make every effort to provide representative information. All results are based on a sample and are therefore subject to statistical errors normally associated with sample-based information.
- Based on figures from Liverpool Victoria.
RELATED BBC LINKS:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/03_march/02/money.shtml
- Money Programme
Marriages decrease.
from the national statistics website:
In 2005 there were 283,730 weddings in the UK, down nearly 10 per cent since 2004 when there were 313,550 weddings. Marriages fell in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for the first time in three years. In England and Wales marriages fell by 10 per cent in 2005 to 244,710, which is the lowest number of marriages since 1896. In Northern Ireland marriages fell by 2 per cent to 8,140, while in Scotland they dropped 4 per cent to 30,881.National statistics
McCreaddie won't be taken into care
Conor McCreaddie, the 8 year old boy who weighs 14 stones will not be taken into care according to his local authority. The story brought into sharp focus the fact that many children eat the wrong foods and do not receive enough exercise and it has also demonstrated the need for universal health and social services who are able to intervene to help parents and their children.
Johnson rejects marriage as the only way to raise children
Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, challenged the belief that marriage is the best way to bring up children saying ""That does not mean that all children from married couples fare well, nor that every other kind of alternate family structure is irretrievably doomed to fail." He also attacked opposition plans for tax breaks for married couples saying ""It's wrong to suggest that tax and legislation makes relationships, it's not, it's love."
Working mothers still face discrimination
The Equalities Review has shown that working mothers still face job discrimination. It cites a survey of 122 recruitment agencies that revealed more than 70% of them had been asked by clients to avoid hiring pregnant women or those of childbearing age. The report also showed that a partnered mother with a child aged under 11 is 45% less likely to be in work than a partnered man.
Progressive Inequality?
Child poverty in Britain is not inevitable, but it can only be truly solved by a government prepared to take more radical measures – that was the conclusion of a seminar of leading thinkers in the field of social exclusion. The Commission on Families and the Wellbeing of Children seminar hosted by the Family and Parenting Institute tackled the subject Progressive Inequality? Difficult Questions for the Next Decade.
The event took place in the wake of the UNICEF report which seemed to show that children in Britain were some of the unhappiest in the developed world. The speakers included Professor Sir Michael Rutter, Chair of the Commission on Families and the Well-Being of Children, Professor Jonathan Bradshaw, Professor Leon Feinstein and Lisa Harker. International comparisons demonstrated that the high levels of child poverty and inequality in Britain were not inevitable, and that there were real alternatives.
UK is accused of failing children
The UK has been accused of failing its children, as it comes bottom of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries.
Unicef looked at 40 indicators from the years 2000-2003 including poverty, family relationships, and health.
Child Poverty in Perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries UNICEF
TIS Pilot 'Lessons Learned Event'
TIS Phase 1 is coming to an end – and it is time for the 'Lessons Learned Event', the 26th January at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham.
It is a chance for all local authority partners who have been involved in the TIS pilot to draw breath, feed back and provide experiential guidance on how to move forward. Researchers from ECOTEC will attend the event to feedback preliminary results from the evaluation, with particular focus on the impact of the session on parents.
This will be compiled as a lessons learned report and published on the web for future local authorities who will run TIS.
Care Matters
Our response to the consultation Care Matters: Transforming the lives of children and young people in care .
Child Trust Fund Week
15th-20th January 2007 is the first ever Child Trust Fund Week – and it's your chance to get free materials to explain the Child Trust Fund to parents.
Child Trust Fund Week will have significant media, celebrity and PR support to encourage parents to open their children's Child Trust Fund accounts or start saving regularly into them. Where you can give invaluable help is in reaching out to the parents you work with and ensuring they have the extra information they need.
Free support materials
HM Revenue & Customs is offering free materials to help you run activities for parents during the Week, including a comprehensive and easy-to-read practitioner's workbook on saving and the Child Trust Fund, plus accompanying leaflets specifically designed to help less financially confident parents. There are also posters, editorial for your newsletters, savings tips, PR materials and children's activities.
If you would like to receive a pack, or get more information and ideas, please contact HM Revenue & Customs' partnership marketing agency today via ctf@23red.com
For more information see our money on Child Trust Funds visit our parents' information money topic.
Phase 2 of the Transition Information Sessions in Schools
The Family and Parenting Institute has been awarded a contract by DfES to deliver Phase 2 of the Transition Information Sessions in Schools project in partnership with 4Children. This will see training in delivering parent information sessions rolled out across every local authority in England over the next 15 months. A huge number of local practitioners will be trained in facilitating the sessions which deliver information to parents at key transition stages in their child's school career, covering child development, supporting children's education and accessing local services.
For job vacancies please click here.
CSA White Paper- Thursday 14 Dec 2006
The Family and Parenting Institute has welcomed the Child Support Agency White Paper but is warning that the pace of change might be too slow and that some of the punitive measures outlined may harm children.
For more details read our full press release
Marriage alone won't deliver family stability - Monday 11 Dec 2006
The Family and Parenting Institute agrees that families are at the heart of all our lives and that children thrive in stable families as set out in the Conservative report from the Social Justice Policy Group.
For more details read our full press release
Children's rights - tell the Government what YOU think!
For the first time ever, the Government is running an online children's rights survey to find out the views and experiences of children and young people (under 18 year-olds) in England.
The survey results will be included in the Government's next children's rights report to the United Nations.
There are questions about children's and young people's health, education, experience of violence and discrimination, and the right to be heard and taken seriously.
The survey is anonymous and should take about 10 minutes to complete online (longer for young children). It closes at midnight on January 31st 2007.
We want children and young people all over the country to take part – HAVE YOUR SAY NOW! Visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/youngpeoplerights
Meet the parents!
One of the most important functions of the Family and Parenting Institute is empowering parents and giving them the chance to put their views and questions to political leaders and opinion formers.
Our "Meet the Parents" events give parents the chance to put the big questions to political leaders: How do I make ends meet? How can I find child care that fits with my work? Will my boss let me take time off if my child is ill? How can I keep my child safe and out of trouble with drugs on the streets and all the pressure on young people to be cool? What do I do if my child is bullied?
So far, parents have had the chance to discuss these issues with Conservative Leader, David Cameron MP, Education Secretary, Alan Johnson MP and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell MP.
The series has been very successful and we are planning many more.
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