News
4.5 million more families can now Keep time for childrenThe government has announced plans to extend flexible working rights to all parents with children under the age of 16. This would mean rights for flexible working would be extended to 4.5 million more parents. The changes are as a result of a review carried out by Imelda Walsh, Director of Sainsbury’s, to consider where the age limit for older children should be set.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Gordon Brown commented that “The right to request flexible working has been working for lots of people over the last few years. It is working for parents of young children and now it can apply to children under 16 where families need time off to help bring [them] up”
Keep time for children welcomes this news, as extending flexible working for parents with school age children, has been a key campaign goal:
“We are pleased that the Government has accepted the recommendation of its Review Body, after strong lobbying from Keep time for children and others, that a further 4.5million parents should be able to request flexible working. - though not until 2009. We see this as an important step along the road to all parents of school-age children having the right to a weekend day off, so that families can spend at least some of their weekends together”. Michael Clark, Chief Executive of Keep time for children.
At a time when there is unprecedented concern for this generations children, whether it is antisocial behaviour, growth in child depression or worrying educational standards. It is important to remember that the true benefactors of these findings is not, the government or even the parents but millions of children who will now look out of the school gates, to see their parents smiling back at them.
News added: Mon 19th May, 2008 Keep time for children welcomes flexible working promiseWe welcome this week's promise by the UK Government to extend parent's right to ask for flexible working arrangements. This has been a key goal of our 'Keep time for children' campaign for the last 3 years.
David Cameron backed this as a policy last October, and recently it was reported that 93% of flexible working requests under the existing law, which covers parents of children up to age 6, have been responded to positively by their employers.
However, before deciding on whether this right will be extended to parents of secondary school children there will be a review. Why such caution? Surely the public benefit of allowing parents to organise their lives to spend more time with their children considerably outweighs the logistical problems of businesses adapting to this new way of working?
At a time when there is unprecedented concern about, for instance, antisocial behaviour among young people, growth in child mental health problems and educational standards which stubbornly refuse to improve, unequivocal commitment to this kind of preventative measure looks like a no-brainer.
We hope that Imelda Walsh and the government review group will not only conclude the review quickly, but will also ensure that parents of teenagers are also covered. The benefits of having a parent at hand at critical stages in adolescence and the school career are incalculable.
News added: Thu 8th Nov, 2007 Working unsocial hours biting hard into family lifeNew research to be launched on Monday finds that working unsocial hours is biting hard into family life. The research was carried out by NatCen in association with Keep time for children to examine how unsocial working by parents affects both the amount of time parents can spend with their children and the activities they can do together.
For the full press release, click here to go to the Relationships Foundation website, or you can download a summary report of the latest research and previous research findings here.
News added: Fri 15th Sep, 2006 Mothers Union launches Flexible Families CampaignIn the week leading up to our release of new research revealing the impact of working unsocial hours on family life, the Mothers' Union has launched a new campaign calling for rights to request flexible working to be extended to all parents of children under 18.
Keep time for children wholeheartedly endorses this campaign - Click here to go to their website and find out more about how you can support it.
News added: Mon 11th Sep, 2006 Government launches Parent Know How campaignDarren Gough, Antony Worrall Thompson and Emma Forbes, amongst many others, have joined forces with the DfES and the UK's top parenting organisations to create the 'Parent Know How' campaign. This is in response to powerful evidence which shows that mums and dads getting involved with their children, particularly at home, is the single most important factor in a child's development and future success, even taking into consideration wealth, education and other external factors.
Most parents will come across difficulties with parenting at some point or another and need help and support, but, many mums and dads feel that asking for help is an admission that they must be a 'bad' parent. The 'Parent Know How' campaign has been developed to break down some of the perceived barriers to asking for help. It will also offer some simple, practical advice to help give mums and dads the confidence and 'know how' to make the most of their relationship with their child. The campaign encourages parents to get involved with their children and highlights three achievable 'Together' messages:
1. Eat together at least once a week
2. Have fun learning together
3. Keep fit together
Keep time for children is supporting the campaign. Michael Clark says, 'Parent Know How is a fantastic campaign highlighting that the most important thing you can give your child is your time. It's the simple things that make all the difference - whether it's spending time eating a meal together, going for a walk or helping them with their homework. I believe that this is more valuable than toys and activities. The most important thing a child wants and needs in their life is quality time spent with their parents.'
To find out more, go to www.directgov.gov.uk/parentknowhow
News added: Fri 7th Apr, 2006 Have an aah! NightBisto has launched a campaign to get families eating together at least once a week. Why not visit their site and sign the pledge to spend one night a week having a meal with your family.
www.aahnight.co.uk
News added: Thu 10th Nov, 2005 new poster available We are participating in an exciting new initiative with Family Matters -York, who are doing innovative work in parenting education, to produce a poster to underline the importance of family time.
The colourful and fun A3 size poster (shown right), has a clear message: 'Make time for your child', and displays the Keep Time for Children logo and website. Earlier posters in this series have been widely used by Family Matters in schools, nurseries, doctor's surgeries, Sure Start and health centres not only in York, but much further afield.
We’re pleased to announce that these posters are now available to our supporters at a special price of £1 each (including p&p), or £8 for 10 posters. Please help us to promote this vital message and gather further support for the work of Keep Time for Children by displaying them wherever you can.
To order your copy (or copies!), just contact us
News added: Tue 10th May, 2005
Government Consultation on Flexible WorkingRecently, the government has launched a consultation on flexible working for families. One of the issues it will be looking at will be the idea of extending the existing right of parents of pre-school children to ask for flexible working to cover parents of older children, possibly up to age 17. This would make a difference to an additional 4.5 million parents.
Patricia Hewitt, the Trade and Industry secretary, said “All of us, whether we have children or not, have a real interest in making sure children are brought up well. Children who don’t grow up well end up imposing the most enormous cost on the whole of society.”
Please make your voice heard and support this proposal. Every child, no matter how old, should be able to spend time with their parents. To have your say, go to www.dti.gov.uk/er/workandfamilies.htm and download the consultation document, or request a copy by calling 0870 1502500 and asking for the consultation on ‘work and families: choice and flexibility”.
Please also write to us at ktc@relationshipsfoundation.org and let us know what you think so that we, along with other children’s charities, can put a strong case to the government.
News added: Thu 10th Mar, 2005
Interesting snippets from the press
Here are a few examples of recent articles that we judge to be particularly
relevant to Keep Time for Children starting with news on the KTC launch
(click on title to view relevant article):
Requests for flexible working being turned down
Firms are being urged to bring in new ways of working after research showed almost 10% of people would like to work fewer hours, even if it meant less pay. The TUC study found half a million workers had had a request for shorter working hours turned down by managers.
News added: Fri 16th Dec, 2005 A tv in your child's bedroom? Just say 'no'
Isn't it satisfying when what passes for petty parental prejudice is vindicated by research? After enduring years of argument about our refusal to let our children have televisions in their bedrooms, I was able to flash a Times headline to them on Tuesday: “Take TV out of child’s bedroom, parents are told.”
News added: Mon 11th Jul, 2005 Table manners
The benefits of family meals are far-reaching, often surprising and should not be underestimated.
News added: Wed 18th May, 2005 Respect starts at home
In political life, resigning to spend more time with your family has become a euphemism for almost anything except, well, wanting to see more of your family.
News added: Mon 16th May, 2005 Archbishop accuses Britain's parents of child 'abuse'
Britain is in danger of becoming a society of infantilised adults who are abusing their own children by default, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said today.
News added: Thu 14th Apr, 2005 The best years of our lives? We don't think so
Depression and insecurity caused by pressures at home, at school and in their social lives, are blighting the lives of young teenage girls, say figures published today...
News added: Thu 24th Mar, 2005 Families 'missing weekends'
(Guardian 2004-11-02)
News added: Mon 29th Nov, 2004 Parents' weekend work has effect on children
(Daily Mail 2/11/04)
News added: Mon 29th Nov, 2004 Families hit by 24/7 working
(Metro 2/11/04)
News added: Mon 29th Nov, 2004 Playstation generation could be alone for life
(Times 29/10/04)
More children are now said to be playing alone according to a recent Mintel survey
News added: Mon 29th Nov, 2004 Weekend working 'damages family life'
(Telegraph 15/10/04)
News on the release of the NatCen report.
News added: Mon 29th Nov, 2004 |
