RF welcomes Conservative draft manifesto commitments on the family
The Relationships Foundation welcomes the fact that all parties have recognised the importance of family relationships in their campaigning in the run up to the general election. Both the Government green paper Support for All and the Conservative draft manifesto describe families as the bedrock of society and commit to supporting families in various ways.
The commitment in the Conservative draft manifesto to ‘recognise marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system in the next Parliament’ has been the focus of public debate. However, we believe the promise that ‘as well as considering economic and environmental consequences, we will explicitly take into account the social value of the actions we take and the policies we implement’ may well prove to be of greater significance. We have strongly argued for this in the triple test, as well as in the case for family proofing policy, in recognition of the extensive penumbra of issues that both influence and are influenced by the family.
The support promised for families is also welcomed. In our report Built to Last we made the case for investment in couple relationship education. We therefore welcome the commitment to ‘put funding for relationship support on a stable, long term footing through multi-year funding settlements’ and to ‘make sure couples are given greater encouragement to use existing relationship support.’
Extending ‘the right to request flexible working to every parent with a child under the age of eighteen’ is also welcome, though we are still seeking support from all parties to a Family Day Bill, which we made in Weekend Workers: Part-time Parents?, to give all parents of school aged children the right in law to one weekend day off each week.
An ‘ambitious vision of social progress’ which includes ‘a measure of well-being that encapsulates all it means to live a good and fulfilling life’ is also welcome in the light of our desire to see policy that promotes wellbeing, with family relationships being an important means to this goal. The Relationships Foundation is encouraged by and looking further into the commitment to strengthening family relationships and to ‘take into account the social value of the actions we take and the policies we implement’. We have long observed that ‘what gets measured gets done’.
Our most recent report, Progressive Families, Progressive Britain, which is built on our review of international experience, argues that family proofing all policies – ensuring that they support rather than undermine family relationships – is an essential element of any strategy to satisfy continuing demands for progress and reduce the fiscal deficit. Greater relational literacy in policy-making, an understanding of the variety of mechanisms by which policy influences relationships, as well as a clear commitment to strengthening families’ contribution to social progress must be the hallmarks of a new policy agenda. We believe that our research will help take forward the manifesto commitments and David Cameron’s promise to use ‘every non-bureaucratic method at our disposal to galvanise, encourage and influence people to do the right thing’. Our supporters will know that we have long been looking at how policy shapes the motivation, opportunity and support for relationships (see the Go Right section of an earlier report).
Our initial response to the Government families green paper will be published shortly.