In January, the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) Tony Danker raised a left-field suggestion as to how to boost the economy – better childcare. For those of us working in the education sector, it was no surprise to hear that better parental support could have a positive impact on so many policy areas – even increasing our productivity as a nation.
Parenting support, whether in the form of quality childcare, breakfast and afterschool clubs, or parenting programmes, aren’t just ‘nice to have’ for families. They are critical to child development, and the functioning of society as a whole.
Research from Kindred2 has highlighted what many of us working in the early years sector have suspected – that almost half of these children are not ready for Reception. Early years teachers are having to support children to improve their basic development tasks, such as getting dressed or going to the toilet.
This points not only to the increased pressures on teachers and early years professionals, but the clear need for more support at home, too. The Australian government recently rolled out free access to Triple P’s online courses for parents and carers of children from pregnancy to the end of primary school.
I believe this is a fantastic support offer that will improve children’s social, emotional and developmental outcomes – including self-regulation, behaviour, language and mental health. This allows early years professionals to focus on enriching and enhancing the education of those in their care. The UK Government must take note.
As we approach the spring budget, we are looking to the Sunak government to place an increased emphasis on early years. We know education is a priority area for the Prime Minister – the £300m investment in family hubs was proof of this commitment, and with £50m specifically set aside for parenting programmes, it feels like we are moving towards a greater culture for family support.
But we know there is a crisis facing local authorities who want to do more for families. Demand is already high, and the need is great. Mental health services, childcare and early help are all grappling for resources, and councils face an impossible task to prioritise.
Parenting is the golden thread that runs through so many of the policy areas that improve the lives of families – whether that’s reducing youth offending, improving mental health or, as Danker identified, growing the economy.
Through Family Hubs, the infrastructure will be there to provide a base for many of the services that will achieve these outcomes – a one stop shop. We would like to see the spring budget go one step further, to provide the resources needed to embed parenting programmes as the golden thread across all local services. It’s only through wide availability – or a public health approach to parenting combining universal and targeted programmes – that we can break the stigma that is attached to ‘getting help’ – and we know that a fear of being judged is felt prominently. Triple P’s own research uncovered that 75 per cent of parents believe that there is a stigma attached to getting support.
It’s a very difficult time to ask for ‘more’ in any public service. So many services are looking for funding increases or a bigger workforce, but small changes to the structure and direction of funding could go a long way, and be the key which unlocks the potential of children and families across the country.
I want to encourage the government to think about how decreasing the pressure on public services can start at home – by helping parents to help themselves. Evidence-based programmes like Triple P can support them to get on top of their challenges before they require a greater level of intervention.
The Government should use the budget as another opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the early years, and make sure that Family Hub services can effectively support families across the UK. It is only through universal access to support, particularly before the age of five, that every child will be given the best start in life.
