Commenting on the recent riots in London and elsewhere, Michael Trend, the Executive Director of Relationships Foundation, says: “While it will take time for all the causes and cures of the rioting to be fully understood, one area where immediate change is essential is abundantly clear: the government must follow its warm words on the need to address family failure with urgent action. Family policy is back on the agenda. (1) It must now occupy its proper place at the heart of government as well as the heart of our national debate”.
The Relationships Foundation has supported the government in its stated view that strong and stable families of all kinds are the bedrock of a strong and stable society and play a vital role in achieving many of the outcomes that characterise freedom, fairness and responsibility. In particular, we agreed with the prime minster that “no one who wants to tackle some of our deepest social problems – and the massive economic costs they bring – has a hope unless they understand the importance of family.” (2) But we have also, and on many occasions, chastised the government for its lack of follow through on family policy.
Michael Trend comments, “Only when there is a clear plan and a strong leadership at the heart of government can we begin to make progress towards becoming a more family-friendly country. Our recently published Family Pressure Gauge (3) showed how far we are from being what the government says it wants to see – the UK becoming the most family-friendly country in Europe. Instead we are almost the least family friendly. Moreover, our annual Cost of Family Breakdown Index (4) continues to show the massive costs of this failure – some £42 billion a year.”
The Relationships Foundation has long argued that family policy should be at the heart of government. Michael Trend added: “What to do about family failure and how to move forward to making the country more family friendly has, in practice, been sidelined by the government. Sideline family policy and you court systemic failure. It is high time the coalition got its act together on family policy.”
For further Information please contact John Ashcroft, Relationships Foundation, 01223 909 408 or j.ashcroft@relationshipsfoundation-org.stackstaging.com
Notes to Editors
1. Family policy is back on the agenda:
The Young Foundation: “Ultimately, many of the problems with disengaged teenagers can be traced to broken families and parents who are themselves ill-equipped to raise happy, thriving children. Many of these disaffected young people grow up without the essential ingredients for their well-being: unconditional love and clear boundaries. The absence of these emotional and behavioural building blocks was very evident on our streets…”
http://www.youngfoundation.org/blog/welbeing-and-resilience/riots-show-why-happiness-agenda-vital
David Lammy MP: “In areas like mine, we know that 59% of black Caribbean children are looked after by a lone parent. There is none of the basic starting presumption of two adults who want to start a family, raise children together, love them, nourish them and lead them to full independence. The parents are not married and the child has come, frankly, out of casual sex; the father isn’t present, and isn’t expected to be. There aren’t the networks of extended families to make up for it. We are seeing huge consequences of the lack of male role models in young men’s lives,” he said. “There are virtually no male teachers in primary schools.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/10/uk-riots-liberal-right-parent
Gavin Poole of the CSJ: “The Prime Minister is absolutely correct in his commitment to rebuild families and improve parenting – preventing family breakdown must be the foundation stone of ensuring all children and young people grow up to become citizens who make a positive contribution to society – as the overwhelming majority currently do. “
http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=532
2. PM Speech on families and relationships 10 December 2010
3. The Relationships Foundation Family Pressure Gauge