Parenting matters: early years and social mobility
Chris PatersonThe government has embraced the key message that it is by providing support in the earliest years of a child’s life that the biggest differences can be made.
The most important factor influencing a child’s development is the quality of parenting they receive and the quality of the Home Learning Environment this creates. The government has stated that 'what is needed is a much wider culture change towards recognising the importance of parenting' and has expressed the desire for 'parenting advice and support to be considered the norm'.
This report strongly supports this willingness to engage directly with what is happening in the family sphere to prevent the (deeply illiberal) squandering of individual potential.
"This is an excellent report: a national parenting campaign is exactly what Britain needs. CentreForum proposes a powerful set of ideas by which this can be achieved."
- Graham Allen MP, Author of the Independent Report to HM Government 'Early Intervention: The Next Steps'
"This intelligent, creative and forward-looking paper is packed full of good and stimulating ideas. I commend it to all policy thinkers interested in parenting and social mobility in the UK."
- George Hosking, Founder and CEO of WAVE Trust
"The report is very useful because it draws attention to an issue that makes a big difference to children."
- Gareth Jenkins, Save the Children (from BBC article)
Download the full report.
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