The Relationships Foundation believes the time has come for a ‘Family Day Bill’ which would ensure that all parents of school-age children can have a weekend day off by extending existing flexible working legislation. As our third press release for National Family Week, ‘Keep Time for Children’ (a Relationships Foundation campaign) is re-launching its Family Day Bill in the hope that either the new government or a backbencher would see it into law. (1)
RF believes that families – of all shapes and sizes – are key to our society. They are central for raising the next generation and teaching them social skills, as a well as providing emotional, physical, financial and spiritual care. Children need to spend time with their parents if they are to grow up as happy and well-rounded individuals. But the UK has a serious and growing problem with its families.
RF Executive Director Michael Trend comments: “Families today are hard pressed on every side. In our earlier press releases this week we have been making the case that the new government must see family policy in the round and from the centre. Following the general election we offer again, as we did to the last Parliament, one practical idea that would relieve the stress in one major area – the ever-increasing pressure on many parents to work at weekends, the very time when their school-age children will be at home and in need of parenting.”
For most working parents the weekend provides the main opportunity to spend time with their children. Three quarters of mothers working at weekends say that weekend work is a job requirement, rather than a choice, and the vast majority would prefer not to do so. (2) Many parents feel they spend too little time with their children while the Good Childhood Inquiry found that children feel they have insufficient time with their parents. (3) The UK was recently placed last out of 21 OECD countries in a UNICEF report on children’s wellbeing. (4) Children need to spend time with their parents if they are to grow up happy and well-rounded individuals. At the moment we are seeing an increased prevalence of ‘shift-parenting’ and of young children being left ‘home alone’.
RF Executive Director Michael Trend says: “We believe the time has come for a Family Day Bill which would give every parent of school-age children a weekend day off by extending existing flexible working legislation. Employers would have to facilitate parents taking the same day off because the couple relationship is important in itself and vital for child development.”
Michael Trend adds: “We think it proper and essential that the state enables thriving lives for children and families by motivating, encouraging and supporting parents in their responsibilities towards their children. We believe that the Family Day Bill will help to build and sustain productive relationships. This legislation is the meeting place between choice and responsibility. It is not about prescription but about potential. It gives parents the choice to spend weekend time with their children. It protects single mums who have no choice but to agree to work weekends (over a quarter of lone parents work at the weekends). Without face-to-face time for communication and sharing within the family it is difficult for mutual understanding and support to grow.”
ENDS
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1 National Family Week runs from 31st May – 6th June 2010. For more information see www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk; Keep Time for Children here, Family Day Bill here
2 The Good Child Inquiry can be found at http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/all_about_us/how_we_do_it/the_good_childhood_inquiry/about_the_good_childhood_inquiry/2254.html
3 See Unsocial Hours: Unsocial Families?, an international literature survey, focusing on the impact of long and atypical hours working on family life, but particularly on the effects on couple relationships and the wellbeing of children
4 http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf
The Relationships Foundation, established in 1993, is a Cambridge-based independent think tank seeking a better connected society. It studies the effect that culture, business and government have on relationships. It proposes new ideas for strengthening social connections, campaigns on issues where relationships are being undermined, and trains and equips people to think relationally for themselves.
The Relationships Foundation, 3 Hooper Street, Cambridge, CB1 2NZ 01223 566333 www.relationshipsfoundation.org