The document discusses the possibilities and limits of parenting. It notes that parenting makes a difference, but parents operate within contexts that are not always family-friendly. Parenting pressures are increasing due to financial stresses, time pressures, and changes to community and family structures. While policies aim to boost parenting capacity through classes and support, reducing broader pressures through economic and social policies may also be needed to truly make a difference. Sustainable parenting policy needs to both increase capacity and decrease pressures, using evidence-based approaches and new partnership models.

1. The Possibilities and Limits
of Parenting
Katherine Rake
Adfam Annual Conference 15 March 2012

2. 'There may be some doubt as to who are
the best people to have charge of
children, but there can be no doubt that
parents are the worst.’

3. Was it:
b)Confucius
d)David Cameron
f)George Bernard Shaw

4. Families in Britain
13.8m Families in England
6.01m Families in England with dependent children
117,000 Estimated number of families with multiple problems
10-30% Estimated change (leavers and new entrants) on this group each
year
5.89m Approximate number of families with dependent children not
considered to have multiple problems
8,841 Total number of families who worked with a family intervention
service between January 2006 to March 2011
£220,000 Estimated minimum cost to state of families with multiple
problems
£14,000 Estimated cost of family intervention project per family
£50,000 Estimated saving per family per year of family intervention projects

5. The possibilities of parenting

6. Parenting makes a difference
• What we know:
– Parenting style matters – and it may turn out to matter even
more than we expect
– Poor parenting runs across social class
– All parents struggle at some point
– Those that have been poorly parented themselves face
particular challenges (but we need to be careful with
concepts of intergenerational transmission)
– Specific needs flow from specific vulnerabilities (for
example, learning difficulties, SEN, drug and alcohol misuse
etc)
– Good parenting can be done by different family members
and outside the family

7. ….and parents are recognising the need
to invest more
• The media rhetoric of a generation of neglectful
parents is not reflected in the evidence :
Mums and dads are spending more time with their children:
•Working mothers now spend more time with their children than
non-working mothers did in 1981
•Parents report spending three times longer per day with their
children than 30 years ago
And expectations of children’s behaviour have increased :
•In 2006, 87% of parents expected their children to be polite
(75% in ‘86) and 95% expect their children to do their
homework (90% in ‘86)

8. The limits of parenting

9. We parent in context
• We parent in context – and that context is not family friendly.
Our recent poll showed only 6% believe the UK to be very family
friendly
• PM committed to making UK the most family friendly in Europe.
• But, the deep deficit reduction plan is affecting families with
children disproportionately - tax and benefits; changing service
delivery
• Financial squeeze layers pressure on relationships - both
between couples and between parents and children

10. We parent under pressure
Parenting pressures are increasing:
•Financial pressures combined with time pressures result result in
stresses on family life e.g. 11% of those in employment work at
night; 25% in the evenings
•We increasingly parent alone – without the support of a wider
community and as single parents
•The debate around parenting creates its own risk – anxiety,
demonization and a deficit based rather a strengths based
narrative about modern parenting

11. What this means for policy

12. Policy aimed at boosting parenting
capacity
-Parenting classes – about to be piloted in 4 areas across the
country
-Improving information and support provision
-Some Sure Start interventions and other early interventions
-Some of the troubled families agenda
But:
-How will this be made universal?
-How will it meet diverse and sometimes complex needs?
-Will it make a difference?!

13. Will it make a difference?
“It is clearly easier to adopt the behaviours associated with
‘good’ parenting if the pressure to provide the basics are reduced.
Not all well off people make good parents, and not all poor people
are bad parents; it is just significantly more difficult to be good
parent with a minimum level of resources”
Naomi Eisenstadt, former Director of Sure Start
“Wider economic factors impact on the stresses and
strains parents experience and ultimately the level of conflict in the
home. Household income does, therefore, make a difference in
determining whether or not pressures are reduced or parenting
capabilities are enhanced”
Enver Solomon, The Children’s Society

14. Policy aimed at reducing parenting
pressures
-New Social Justice strategy?
-Further Early Intervention measures?
-Some Sure Start interventions
-Some of the troubled families agenda
But:
-How will this be made affordable?
-How will it add up locally and nationally to ensure efficiency?
-Will it make a difference?!

15. Sustainable and effective
parenting policy

16. Sustainable and effective parenting policy
• Works both to increase parenting capacity and reduce parenting
pressures
• Makes the case regarding impact, outcomes and results
• Takes advantage of the new business models: social enterprise
& social finance
• Develops new partnerships? Collaboration, mergers, new (bits
of) Departments
And ultimately recognises that supporting families and
parents is not a luxury item; it’s central to a healthy
society (and economy)