Family stability in Britain has been in continuous decline for four decades, and adults and children today are increasingly faced with the challenges of families which are dysfunctional (often because of mental health issues), fractured (through separation or divorce), or fatherless (15% of babies are born into homes with no resident dad). This is especially the case in the least advantaged sections of society but these trends also profoundly affect people across the socioeconomic spectrum.
We believe that the tide of family breakdown (dysfunction, dissolution and dad-lessness) can be turned. Our policies pay particular attention to the needs of our youngest citizens,
those in the first three years of life where the nurture of their parents is of prime importance. We want all children to grow into relationally competent and confident adults. As one expert respondent told us, ‘Marriage is the natural consequence
of two adults being able to commit to each other because their own emotional development is secure and has given them the necessary confidence.’ We unashamedly support an institution that can be so beneficial, but acknowledge that there is much preparatory work to be done to improve the relational health of the nation, especially in communities subject to multiple disadvantage.
Britain has one of the highest divorce rates in the Western world.
If you have experienced family breakdown, you are 75% more likely to fail at school, 70% more likely to be a drug addict and 50% more likely to have alcohol problems.
"In this estate, the problems are beyond the capability or resources of the school. We need more support for families in crisis. I spent most of yesterday afternoon with just one boy. When we can't cope with the children, we send them home. But the parents can't cope with them at home. The work done by our family support worker, working with parent carers and extended family, is the future - it's what's going to move the school forward. Yet the resources for her and our school counsellor are being cut. We've had so many initiatives. All the work that has been done is being wasted. When you seem to be making progress - to mend the family - and the money is taken away … it seems so crazy. Out of 300 children, we have 24 with extreme emotional problems.
I've been teaching for 30 years and it's definitely increased. The causes are family break-up, inadequate parenting and social deprivation."
Primary School Headteacher
After a 10 year immersion in thousands of scientific papers in neurobiology, psychology and infant development, Dr Alan Schore (Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA) concluded that the child’s first relationship, [usually] the one with the mother, acts as a template [and]….permanently moulds the individual’s capacity to enter into all later emotional relationships
"I had a really, really bad childhood - I was in care and my parents aren’t very good parents so I just thought a baby would give me that stability and also give me something that would love me unconditionally – never thought it would leave me and - ‘cos it’d be mine -nobody could take it away … I was the only kid at the age of 9, planning to have a baby . . ."
1. Support in the tax and benefits system for married couples
Measures such as ensuring married couples receive the same ratio of support to lone parents as they currently get in income support, and transferable tax allowances for married couples would recognise the stability that marriage brings.
2. Support for low-income two parent families
The couple penalty in tax credits disincentivises low-income couples from living together and especially from making a co-residential arrangement unambiguous by marrying.
3. Drawing forward Child Benefit
Making child benefit flexible so that a larger proportion of the child's total entitlement would be available during the first three years when parents most want to spend time caring for their children and when attachment and intensive nurture are most important.
4. Grandparents being funded to provide child-care
A reduction in the current bias in the tax credit system against informal care by allowing the use of childcare tax credit to pay un-registered close relatives (albeit at a lower rate) to reflect parents’ preferences.
5. A rebalancing of family law
Ensuring access to, and the fair and firm enforcement of, family law, and in addition, a complete review of current family law. Also, the removal of exemptions from maintenance payments for non-resident payments.
6. Family Service Hubs
Facilities at the heart of the community to enhance current community-based service provision, and to integrate services to maximize efficiency and co-ordination of professionals and voluntary sector providers. These will emphasise the importance of early years parental care for children and enhance the role of health visitors.
7. Relationship support
A new Marriage and Relationships Institute to champion and administer preventative initiatives, as well as research into what works. Relationship and parenting education programmes to be rolled-out nationally by the voluntary sector.
8. Relationship education in schools
PSHE curriculum changes to provide a specific opportunity to learn about, explore and discuss the nature of marriage, family and relationships, with the voluntary sector strongly encouraged to deliver many of these resources.
9. Increased respite care
Financial assistance for paying relatives and trusted friends. Respite breaks for families with disabled members, that include relationship and parenting support.
10. An increase in carer’s allowance
UK’s Carer’s Allowance is very low compared to other EU countries (last year Ireland greatly increased its Carers Allowance to £135 for one person being cared for and £200 for two people).
