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October 2018 October 2018

NEWS FROM WESTMINSTER

If you’ve read the newspapers recently you might
think that politicians are only concerned about
Brexit. This is not the case! Someone recently asked
why politicians don’t stand up more for families,
pointing out that as a British teenager you are more
likely to own a smartphone than live with both
parents.
Perhaps some politicians do feel nervous speaking
about the family. Maybe they are concerned that
their enthusiasm for the family will be mistaken for an
attack on single parents, many of whom work
extremely hard to bring up their children. However, family life is too critical a topic
to steer away from. It is vital that as a society, and indeed as a Government, we
commit to strengthening and supporting parents. Especially when we remember
that government accepts that family breakdown is a key driver of future poverty.

I feel incredibly privileged that I have a strong and loving family –both my close
family in Dorset, and in my wider extended family. Stronger families are vital for
social mobility. The stability which they provide gives children the security that they
need, which in turn helps to safeguard their mental and physical health, and by
extension their behaviour and academic achievement.
Just look at the life chances of children
in care, and of care leavers. Statistics
show that care leavers are more likely
to get into trouble with the police, and
to be at risk of poor educational
o u t c o m e s , u n e m p l o y m e n t ,
homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse,
and mental health issues. But it is not
simply the statistics that we must
change. It is the life chances of these
children, and it is incumbent on
everyone to ensure that those who
have had the most difficult starts in life
should still have the opportunity to
flourish and fulfil their potential.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, and we must seek to provide a nurturing
environment in which families can flourish, whilst at the same time acknowledging
that no two families are the same. Whatever the make-up of an individual family,
we should be enabling children to reach their full potential as they grow to
adulthood and actively participate in their communities and society at large.

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