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Family Policy Digest: 07 August 2008
The Family Policy Digest lets you know about key events and publications over the last month across Government, the voluntary sector and the research community. It enables you to track the progress of legislation and debate on family policy.
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Child health and wellbeing
Improving the mental health and psychological well-being of children and young people: National CAMHS Review Interim Report
The review found that there had been some notable improvements in services, particularly the requirement on Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts to produce a co-ordinated Child and Adolescent Mental Health Strategy. However, comprehensive improvement in access to services for all children and consistency of provision across the full range of services has not yet been achieved.
Also, it was not possible to monitor improvements in actual outcomes for children and young people as reliable routine outcome measurement and data collection is a complex task that is only just beginning to be undertaken by many services. The interim report identifies a range of challenges for which the review will continue to consider policy recommendations.
The report is available from the CAMHS review website.
July 2008
Safeguarding Children
Ofsted
This report is published every three years by eight inspectorates to assess how well agencies are working at both national and local levels to safeguard children and young people. The latest review has found that most children now feel safe in their homes and communities, and are receiving the quality of care and support that they need. However, some children and young people are still not well enough served by public services. This is particularly the case for those who are looked after by their local authority, who are in secure settings or are asylum-seeking children.
The report is available from the Safeguarding Children website.
July 2008Children's and young people's experiences of domestic violence involving adults in a parenting role
A Worrall, J Boylan and D Roberts; SCIE
This research briefing reviews the evidence on children's experiences of domestic violence. It states that professional understanding of, and responses to domestic violence should be informed by the perspectives of children and young people. The authors also conclude that multi-agency provision is essential if children and young people affected by domestic violence are to have their differing needs attended to, and that housing, health and education responses should be as much a priority as child protection and criminal justice responses.
The briefing is available on the SCIE website
July 2008Anti-social and other problem behaviours among young children: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
E Bowen, J Heron and C Steer; Home Office
This study surveyed children aged 8½ and 10½. The majority of children in the sample (70 per cent) did not report involvement in any anti-social or other problem behaviours. From the sample of children said to be at high risk of involvement in anti-social and other problem behaviours (all children who were born into families experiencing at least three family adversities during the mother's pregnancy), 88 per cent were defined as being resilient because they reported involvement in no or only one type of anti-social and other problem behaviours up to the age of 8½. Girls were more likely to be resilient than boys. The characteristics associated with resilience amongst the boys were: school enjoyment; demonstrating high levels of pro-social behaviour and having mothers with high levels of parenting skills.
The report is available from the Home Office website.
July 2008 Children's services
Delivering the Children's Plan - Strengthening Children's Trusts: legislative options
Department for Children, Schools and Families
This consultation proposes a number of changes to the current framework for Children's Trusts. These include requiring all areas to have a Children and Young People's Plan, with extended ownership of the plan to all statutory partners; proposals to strengthen the statutory framework for Children and Young People's Plans through secondary legislation and further clarifying the required content of plans; extending the 'duty to cooperate' to other key partners; and establishing a stronger basis for Children's Trusts Boards.
The consultation is available on the DCSF website. The deadline for responses is 25 September 2008.
July 2008Supporting the development of children and young people's plans (CYPPs): the case-study data
M Atkinson and E Lamont; National Foundation for Educational Research
This report is based on case-study research into the development of children and young people's plans (CYPPs) in six local authority case studies, looking at the planning process in detail. Interviewees stressed the value of involving children and young people at all stages in the planning process. The report gives examples of good practice from the local authorities studied.
The report is available from the NFER website/
July 2008Centre for Excellence and Outcomes launched
The Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services (C4EO) is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and aims to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families in England by identifying and coordinating the evidence of what works at national, regional and local level.
There is more information on the C4EO website.
July 2008Government investment in communication following Bercow review.
Following the review by John Bercow into services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, the government has announced that £12 million will be set aside to implement the recommendations. There will also be a £40 million programme to enable those working with pre-school children to access training and materials to support young children's early language development.
A detailed implementation plan setting out how the government will take forward the recommendations will be published in the Autumn. There will be an independent check of progress in 18 months' time.
More information is available from the Department of Health website.
July 2008Breakdown of childcare funding announced
Out of a total £819 million funding for childcare and early years support over the next three years, previously announced, the detailed breakdown has now been released, including
- £590m over three years to extend the free entitlement to early years provision for three and four year olds from 12.5 hours to 15 hours.
- £100m for the extension of the free nursery entitlement for over 20,000 two year olds in disadvantaged areas. The grant will fund 32 existing pilot authorities and another 30 to be announced in September 2008.
- £40m for Every Child a Talker early language programme to enable practitioners to access training and materials so they can help young children to develop their speaking and listening skills more effectively;
- £57m for the Graduate Leader Fund, designed to help professionalise private, voluntary and independent settings employ graduates;
- £10m for 0-7 Partnership pilots in 10 Local Authorities;
- £7m to help nursery staff access training and materials to help them to support children's social development, backed up with a new Government programme called Social and Emotional Aspects of Development (SEAD)
More information is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Childcare and early years providers survey 2007
S Nicholson, E Jordan, J Cooper and J Mason; Department for Children, Schools and Families
The survey tracks information on the number and characteristics of childcare providers, the characteristics of the children enrolled, workforce composition, qualifications and training, recruitment and retention, and business operation. The 2007 survey covers both childcare (full day care, sessional, out-of-school, childminders and children's centres) and early years settings in maintained schools (nursery schools, primary schools with nursery and reception classes and primary schools with reception but no nursery classes).
The survey is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Daycare Trust holiday childcare costs survey
The seventh annual holiday childcare costs survey found cost increases in almost all parts of Britain, and in particular England where costs have risen 10.1 per cent. Over half of local authorities reported that parents feel there is not enough holiday childcare, and in particular a lack of holiday childcare places for children 12 years old and over, and for disabled children.
More information is available from the Daycare Trust website.
July 2008 Family relationships
Parenting in ordinary families: diversity, complexity and change
A Waylen and S Stewart-Brown; Joseph Rowntree Foundation
This study examined parents' situation when their children were 8 months and 33 months old, within different social and cultural groups in Britain. The study was based on parents' reports of attitudes, feelings and behaviour recorded in response to specific questions relating to parenting. Parenting did not vary systematically according to the age, educational level or ethnic group of mothers or fathers. Parents generally had less confidence in their parenting of toddlers, were more likely to perceive a lack of time for themselves and to dislike the mess surrounding their children. The largest changes in parenting scores were associated with changes in the mother's health
The report is available from the JRF website.
July 2008Children talking to ChildLine about family relationship problems
NSPCC
In 2006/07, 20,586 children and young people spoke to ChildLine about family relationship problems, representing 12 per cent of all calls, and another 22,704 rang to talk about another issue but also mentioned family relationship problems. The most common theme was conflict with parents, followed by conflict between parents. Some children talked about violence, being a teenage parent and feeling unable to cope with their child, or being a young carer.
The report can be downloaded from the NSPCC website.
July 2008Forced marriage statutory guidance: Consultation paper
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 provides for the government to issue statutory guidance setting out the responsibilities of all agencies dealing with forced marriage issues.
This consultation is an opportunity for practitioners and the public to comment on the draft guidance. It lays out statutory requirements that agencies must have regard to when tackling this issue, which will build on their existing responsibilities to protect children and vulnerable adults.
The consultation is available from the Foreign Office website.The deadline for responses is 15 October 2008
July 2008 Family services
Family Intervention Projects: An evaluation of their design, set-up and early outcomes
C White, M Warrener, A Reeves and I La Valle; Department for Children, Schools and Families
Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) work with families with high levels of anti-social behaviour who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless because of this. FIP staff spent on average just under eight hours a week supporting a family, with work commonly including anger management; one-to-one parenting support; addressing educational problems; and organising activities for parents and children. In addition a number of statutory and voluntary services provided support.
For 90 families who completed the intervention, staff reported that anti-social behaviour and criminal activities had declined considerably, as had the risk of families being evicted. The outcomes for children and young people were also reported to have improved.
The report is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Parenting Early Intervention Pathfinder evaluation: Final report
G Lindsay et al.; Department for Children, Schools and Families
This report presents the evidence of the evaluation of the Parenting Early Intervention Pathfinder (PEIP). PEIP funded 18 local authorities to implement one of three selected parenting programmes with parents of children aged 8-13 years: Incredible Years, Triple P and Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities.
The evaluation found that the training was very successful as measured by improvements in the parents' mental well-being, their parenting skills, their sense of being a parent, and also in the behaviour of the child about whom they were concerned. The three programmes produced comparable outcomes on all measures of improvement, but cost-effectiveness varied. Cost effectiveness also varied between local authorities using the same programme.
The report can be downloaded from the DCSF website.
July 2008Nurse-Family Partnership Programme: First year pilot sites implementation in England
J Barnes et al.; Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Family Nurse Partnership pilots provided support to first-time mothers aged 19 years and under, with weekly or fortnightly visits during pregnancy and the first two years. In this evaluation, many mothers reported that they had gained confidence as parents and described aspirations for the future. Most nurses thought that their clients were coping better with pregnancy, labour and becoming a parent. Smoking in pregnancy was reduced from 41 per cent to 34 per cent and more than two thirds initiated breastfeeding, compared to just over half in this age group in a comparable national sample. One problem identified was that even below a full caseload (25 mothers to each nurse), the nurses were having to work overtime to manage their work.
The report is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Teenage parents: who cares? A guide to commissioning and delivering maternity services for young parents
Department for Children, Schools and Families, and Department of Health
This guide makes the case for increased attention to the planning, organisation and delivery of maternity services for teenagers, to improve the life chances of the young parents and their children, while also helping to meet targets on early access to maternity care; on reducing infant mortality, smoking and teenage conceptions; and on increasing breastfeeding. It gives practical examples on how to achieve a high quality service that meets their needs.
The guide can be downloaded from the DCSF website.
July 2008Towards better births: A review of maternity services in England
Healthcare Commission
This research found that most women giving birth in early 2007 who were surveyed had a favourable view of the care that they received. For labour and childbirth, 89 per cent rated their care as 'good' or better, falling to 80 per cent for the care they received after birth and at home. However, results from individual trusts ranged from 67 to 96 per cent. Postnatal care is the phase of maternity care that consistently received the least favourable ratings by mothers.
In some trusts problems were identified, such as: levels of staffing were well below average; there was not adequate continuity of care; there was poor communication, care and support after women had their babies; there were too few beds and bathrooms, particularly in labour wards.
The report is available from the Healthcare Commission website.
July 2008Voluntary and community sector services: Their role in supporting parents and families
J Corlyon and D Clay; Department for Children, Schools and Families
This mapping of services showed that while the total number of support services for parents and families usually matched the population in a local authority, the proportion provided by the voluntary and community sector (VCS) ranged from less than a third in some areas to nearly two-thirds in others. The vast majority of VCS managers struggled to maintain the service with their current funding. The mapping exercise pointed to relatively little provision directed at fathers, either specifically or as part of wider family provision. Other groups for whom there was a low level of service provision were Gypsy and traveller families and BME groups, except in areas which had been selected for their ethnic diversity.
In some areas they appeared to be involved in a strong level of networking, while in one London borough and some rural areas they were not, and it was dependent upon individual organisations to build these links. Disability-related voluntary services, in particular, reported very few links, regardless of the local authority.
The report is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Aiming High for Disabled Children: short breaks implementation guidance
English local government expenditure on short breaks for disabled children is set to double between 2007-08 and 2010-11. This guidance sets out how local authorities will be expected to transform the quality, quantity and range of provision, and the criteria they are asked to meet by March 2009 in order to receive additional funding.
The guidance is available from the Department of Health website.
July 2008 General
European court judgement means new rights for carers
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg has now upheld the earlier opinion of the Advocate General (AG) that treating employees less favourably because of their association with a disabled person was unlawful. The case was brought by a legal secretary who was forced to resign from her job after, she claims, being harassed by her employers and refused flexible working, which was allowed to other employees. This victory has ensured that the UK's disability discrimination law provides protection on the grounds of someone's association with, including caring responsibilities, for a person such as a family member with a disability.
More information is available from the EHRC website
July 2008New Deal for Carers: Task Force reports
Department of Health
These are the reports to government from the task forces set up to inform the development of the carers strategy. The four reports set out the evidence and make proposals for change in the areas of employment, equality, health and social care, and income.
The reports can be downloaded from the Department of Health website.
July 2008 Poverty and social exclusion
No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility
This latest Green Paper on welfare reform proposes abolishing Income Support and creating a system based around Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and the new Employment and Support Allowance (the replacement for Incapacity Benefit).
It proposes moving all lone parents onto JSA, although they would not be required to look for a job until their youngest child is seven. They would have to attend a skills health check when their youngest child reaches five and attend skills training subject to the discretion of the adviser. A 'skills for work' premium would be paid for taking part in agreed activity. From April 2010 child maintenance payments would be completely disregarded when calculating how much out of work benefits a parent should get.
Partners of benefit recipients would also be moved onto a joint claim for JSA when their youngest child reaches 7. Carers currently on Income Support would be moved onto a modified form of JSA which would not require them to undertake work-focused activity.
The Green Paper is available from the DWP website. The deadline for consultation responses is 22 October 2008.
July 2008Review of conditionality in the welfare system
A review has been announced into conditionality - the use of sanctions in the benefit system, to be led by Professor Paul Gregg of the University of Bristol. The terms of reference of the review are:
- To set out a vision for a more personalised conditionality regime.
- To consider the evidence about the impact and effectiveness of conditionality in the UK and from different international regimes.
- To consider the implications of the latest evidence from the fields of behavioural economics and social psychology for conditionality policy.
- To consider what reforms would be needed to the welfare system.
- To consider the potential trade-offs and tensions in delivering a more personalised conditionality regime.
More information about the review is available from the DWP website, along with a background paper, More support, higher expectations: the role of conditionality in improving employment outcomes.
July 2008A minimum income standard for Britain: what people think
J Bradshaw et al.; Joseph Rowntree Foundation
This research attempted to establish what was generally considered to be essential in order to maintain a minimum, socially acceptable quality of life in 2008. According to what people said:
- a single working-age adult needs a budget of £158 per week;
- a pensioner couple needs £201;
- a couple with two children needs £370; and
- a lone parent with one child needs £210.
Most people relying on basic out-of-work benefits do not reach this standard. A single person on Income Support gets less than half. Out-of-work families with children typically get two thirds. However, pensioners receiving Pension Credit do reach the minimum income standard
The report is available from the JRF website.
July 2008Women and poverty: experiences, empowerment and engagement
Women's Budget Group; Joseph Rowntree Foundation
This report examines participatory research conducted with women in poverty living in Birmingham, Cardiff and London. The project aimed to build their political capacity so that they could take their collective knowledge and experience, present it as policy proposals to policy-makers and actively help to produce policy change.
The participants framed poverty as a human rights issue and defined poverty as an experience of social isolation. The impact of their poverty on their children was a central theme. Poverty was experienced as a constant sense of financial insecurity and instability and the lack of any real opportunity to improve their situation.
The report is available from the JRF website.
July 2008The UK Child Trust Fund: A successful launch
J Bennett, E Chávez Quezada, K Lawton and P Perun; IPPR
This paper reviews the first years of the UK's Child Trust Funds. Of the accounts, 75 per cent are opened by parents, which compares favorably with take-up of other similar financial products. If the voucher is not used within 12 months of being issued, the government will automatically open an account on behalf of the child with a randomly chosen private sector provider. Private savings have been made equivalent to 55 per cent of the government's endowment. 30 per cent of accounts opened by parents have received additional private contributions. Although the amounts saved by lower-income families are likely to be smaller, one survey suggests that lower-income families are contributing a higher proportion of their incomes.
The report can be downloaded from the IPPR website.
July 2008 Schools
Transition Informations Sessions demonstration project 2006-08: Lessons learned report
Anne Page; Department for Children, Schools and Families
Transition Information Sessions, also known as 'Starting School and Moving On' sessions, provide support for parents when their children start primary and secondary school. This report shares learning from 20 local authorities providing the sessions, with case studies illustrating a variety of models for delivering this type of parenting support and demonstrating what can work well in different settings.
The report is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Behaviour Review: Paper 3
A Steer; Department of Children, Schools and Families
This is the third part of the review by Alan Steer into behaviour in schools. It covers parental engagement and responsibility for pupil behaviour; school powers to deal with alcohol, drugs and knives; and improving children's learning experience to improve behaviour.
The report supports initiatives such as Parent Support Advisers, recommending increased funding for these. It also recommends guidance to assist development of Parent Councils, the increased use of online reports to parents; greater parental engagement in school self-evaluation; a local referral system for parental complaints; and retaining the right of parents to appeal against exclusion.
The report can be downloaded from the Teachernet website.
July 2008Influences on attainment in primary school: Interactions between child, family and school contexts
K Duckworth; Department for Children, Schools and Families
This study measures the impact on achievement at Key Stage 2 of four influences on children. In order of effect magnitude, these are: prior child achievement, sociodemographic background; parent-child relationships and support; and school context. Unsurprisingly these factors are all interlinked. The results also seemed to show gender effects, in that for girls the socio-economic and educational standing of their parents may have a greater effect , whereas for boys parental behaviour and family relationships may have a greater influence.
The report is available from the DCSF website.
July 2008Schools' role in promoting pupil well-being - draft guidance for consultation
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The 2006 Education and Inspections Act laid a duty on the governing bodies of maintained schools, primary, secondary, special and Pupil Referral Units to promote the well-being of pupils at the school. The duty came in to effect in September 2007. An equivalent requirement has since been placed on new academies through their funding agreements. This consultation draft offers guidance on schools' role in promoting well-being and on the support they can expect from their local authority and other partners in the Children's Trust.
The consultation is available from the DCSF website. The deadline for responses is 25 September 2008.
July 2008Surveys of customer perceptions of parents, young people and the general public
Department of Children, Schools and Families
These surveys show differences in opinion between the views of parents, young people, and the general public. For example, 66 per cent of general public respondents rated secondary schools as good, but 88 per cent of young people did and 74 per cent of parents. Strikingly, while 80 per cent of the public felt bullying in schools is a problem , 75 per cent of parents and 84 per cent of young people felt that it is not a problem. Some 90 per cent of young people felt that England was a good place to grow up (74 per cent of parents and 71 per cent of the general public). However, the majority of all groups thought that it is still more difficult for students from lower income backgrounds to go to university.
The summary can be downloaded from the DCSF website with additional reports here.
July 2008 Work and the family
International review of leave policies and related research 2008
P Moss and M Korintus (eds); Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
This report reviews leave policies in 25 countries, mainly focusing on maternity and paternity leave and parental leave (leave which can be taken by either parent). Leave entitlements vary widely between countries in the length of leave, the rate at which it is paid and the conditions which are placed upon it. The report also contains papers by experts present at the October 2007 seminar of the international network on leave policy and research, on issues including fathers' uptake of parental leave.
The report is available from the BERR websire.
July 2008Consultation on 'Working Better'
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has joined with two websites, dad.info and mumsnet to gather views about balancing work and family life. The review aims to identify limitations of current policy and practice, highlight where new thinking and creative solutions are needed, and put forward a range of options and solutions for change.
More information is available from the EHRC website.
July 2008 Young people
Youth Crime Action Plan
Home Office
This strategy is accompanied by £100 million extra funding for measures including:
- expanding provision of youth centres and other activities at times when young people are likely to offend, including Friday and Saturday nights;
- making permanent exclusion from school an automatic trigger to a comprehensive assessment of needs;
- allowing judges and magistrates to name greater numbers of guilty 16 and 17 year olds.
- increasing the proportion of ASBOs accompanied by a parenting order;
- improving the engagement of parents in the youth justice system including requiring them to come to court;
- expanding Family Intervention Projects to 20,000 families;
- a new duty on local authorities to fund and commission education of young offenders in custody;
- developing a more comprehensive package of support for young people leaving custody;
- additional funding to continue Intensive Fostering in existing pilot areas, as an alternative to custody; and
- expansion of Family Nurse Partnerships;
The report is available from the Home Office website.
July 2008Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England 2007
Results from an annual survey of secondary school pupils in years 7 to 11 (aged 11 to 15) found that smoking among school children is at a 25-year low. Six per cent of pupils aged 11 to 15 smoked regularly (at least once a week); lower than at any time since pupils' smoking was first measured in the survey in 1982. Ten per cent of pupils said they had taken drugs in the last month, down from 12 per cent in 2001. The proportion of 11 to 15 year olds who have never drunk alcohol has also risen in recent years, from 39 per cent in 2001 to 46 per cent in 2007.
The full survey results are available from the NHS information centre website.
July 2008Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group Annual Report 2007/08
The fifth report from the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group states that many areas have made 'extraordinary progress', and calls on all local authorities and PCTs to scale up their work. The report comments on the lack of 'young people friendly' contraceptive services in the community, while welcoming the increase in on-site health advisory services in schools and FE colleges. It also raises concerns about the quality and provision of Sex and Relationships Education and repeats the call to make it a statutory part of the national curriculum.
The report can be downloaded from the Every Child Matters website.
July 2008Design:This Way Up
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