What ideas and suggestions would you like us to pass on to the new government?

[Carriemumsnet]

We are meeting with government in the next few weeks and we'd like to pick your brains. Obviously times are tight and most government departments will be anxious to find ways to increase efficiency. Do you have any thoughts about how things could be made simpler and easier, perhaps by using Mumsnet to implement services or offer support currently offered in other ways? Are there particular services that you think warrant special protection and should be ring-fenced? Or any particular ones that you feel are badly implemented/ wasteful? How could Mumsnet work with government to make life easier for parents? For example should Mumsnet be promoted by Midwives and Health Visitors to parents when they leave hospital or have their final visit? Could Mumsnet be used as a job-share hub? We know you'll have lots of ideas and suggestions, so please post them here and we'll try and pass on as many of them as we can.

Thanks, MNHQ

Let me deduct the cost of childcare from my income BEFORE you work out what taxes I owe and what benefits I am entitled to. For example someone who earns £30k and spends £20k on childcare should be regarded as having an income of £10k.

I think some govt messages, eg healthcare, parenting, could come via MN, but it would also have to be done via Netmums/Bounty etc to achieve coverage; even then, not all parents go online. You could have a few govt messages at the end of our weekly MN emails (not Aitch's!). Eg:

We have tons of stockpiled swine flu vaccines, so pregnant women should definitely be vaxed asap

Your library has books on PND if you need them, but speak to your HV if you think you've got it

Feed your dc vegetables

etc

It would be great to see an end to spin from the Dept of Health, and spin doctors come very expensive, so potential savings would potentially be pretty vast across all govt depts.

I think local councillors should be responsible for disseminating local council info to residents, mostly via group emails. They should know their residents well enough to be able to disseminate info effectively to those who are not online. It would give them something to do apart from swanning around in Mayoral cars visiting Events and enjoying hospitality, as mentioned in an earlier post. It would hold them more accountable, too, because residents would be able to hit the reply button and say "I object." And it would mean people would actually get to know who their local representatives are.

Could MPs do similar with govt info? The Tory party were very adept at using emails during the run-up to the election, so they know how to do it.

For 's sake get someone from the coalition, anyone - minister - spin doctor - government propaganda brigade: otherwise known as BBC / Express or Telegraph) to say something POSITIVE.
I'm up to , NO I've gone beyond up to I'M over the top with miserable .... please S T O P the depressing hopelessness miserable drone - It's worse than the African fog horns.

If someone, somewhere doesn't say something good about British people, workers, soldiers, children, teachers, etc we're all heading for a massive all encompassing
D E P R E S S I O N.

Look the new government must be going to do something good. Tories used to be associated with common sense. At least looking at this child safety ISA thing sounds common sense and cutting down stupid health and safety red tape that doesn't make anyone safer. Start making life easier for SMALL BUSINESSES - please..

In direct response:

Are there particular services that you think warrant special protection and should be ring-fenced?

Yes, plenty and they are free to ask me personnaly if they care so much. But don't for a second think that I am "won over" or feel "listend to" by Cameron/Clegg just because their spin doctors thought it a good idea to ask mumsnet on board in a bid to falsely make me think my opinion matters at all. This isn't a coffee morning.

How could Mumsnet work with government to make life easier for parents? For example should Mumsnet be promoted by Midwives and Health Visitors to parents when they leave hospital or have their final visit?

I think they should be separate.

Could Mumsnet be used as a job-share hub?

Maybe.

We know you'll have lots of ideas and suggestions, so please post them here and we'll try and pass on as many of them as we can.

Feel free, nice of mumsnet to ask. However I have a feeling it won't make any difference. They already have an agenda.

Well I'm glad the coalition is asking for opinions and I hope they read them even if they don't choose to go with it. I think a democracy is all about considering the options and then the people we elected (or didn't elect) have to make the decisions.

Personally I think they've probably got it wrong. My instinct is that by cutting local government staff, building programmes and investment in steel forge construction in Sheffield we will head into a negative downward spiral.

That said, we have to d the best we can at community level to look after our small businesses. Clearly the Gov is not going to put any money directly into small businesses but they can free up rules and regulations that kill new businesses dead. Tiny things e.g. allowing libraries and children's centers to put up posters for local businesses on their notice boards - not just charities. People say "the managers couldn't police it properly and someone might sue the council if the sailing teacher wasn't properly qualified" Well just get a legal person to write some official blurb like - ..... County Council does not take responsibility for content of these advertisements, etc. Newspapers do it all the time.

New businesses that can't afford to optimize their web pages to goggle can't get any free publicity anywhere.

And as for small shops. Let's look at why France is full of small, family run, colorful, charismatic shops and we have thousands of super markets. Let's change the regulations so that if a shop keeper only has two shops in the whole country they don't pay the same costs as the big boys. I love lots of things about Britain but red tape and political correctness is killing the character, charm, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial nature of our country. Please do make some good changes along with the horrible cuts.

"Stop paying peoiple benefits for children they have since starting to claim benefits - really really annoys me that people who are not working can effectively afford to have as many kids as they want whilst people with a social conscience only have as many kids as they can actually afford to bring up themselves. Birth control is free and you don't need a degree in rocket science to use it now do you."

the only people who would suffer as a result of this is the children.

DF you're right, but I can't help agree. This is clearly aimed at parents who use children to obtain more benefits/bigger housing. Unless it's made clear that people will not be given these priviledges, I can't see how the problem will be effectively addressed. If the parents are truely responsible, they will not allow their children to suffer - by not having more of them.

give more money to schools, let the heads organise the teaching, stop butting in with curriculum and forget this daft free school thing.

as if

oh and please think twice before cutting all free sports/outdoor play initiatives. the benefits will be apparent in years to come and will be worth the sacrifice now.

Winter fuel allowance.

I know a couple who are both working as solicitors and own three houses who receive it. If we're means testing benefits then don't forget that one.

Because of the stupid rule abotu not being able t claim back childcare as a work expense, I have to have my Chauffer drive my kids round the block for 8 hours a day.

I'd say this was barbaric, even though we installed educational DVDs!

CTC is farcical to claim so we don't bother -underpaid, overpaid, backdated so never handed out when you actually do need it - nightmare.

However, I do really prize Childcare Vouchers (Conservatives pro them, LibDems anti them, which is why they didn't get my vote - hollow laugh). They make it possible for me as a key worker to work (have high commuting costs as many key workers do, not able afford to live near place of work) - and think they should be made more available, i.e. self-employed parents etc. It is ridiculous that given the very high cost of childcare that we might be better off not working.

Get rid of childcare vouchers and cap/fund the cost of childcare! That will save a who load of admin and mean that people are better off as the whole personal tax thing doesn't come into it.

I'd ask why the complete collapse of the private sector in 2008 is a reason for destroying public services. I thought the private sector was more efficient and better, yet it nearly crippled society...

I would like you to pass on that we see through their cynical attempts to focus blame on the public sector (of all things) and destroy our working conditions. I am disgusted by it.

I would also like them to engage in evidence based policies which actually deliver what is needed, rather than shallow rhetoric and idealogical changes which fail us.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

1. culture of "passing"everyone at everything ie fail is a dirty word is couterproductive and ruins confidence rather than building it. PC to go - honesty to be in.

1. whilst everyone should reach a minimum standard at least, the more able kids need higher and harder horizons to strive for.

Then we can compete with the world.
That's all!

Cut back on the legislation which surrounds everything, requires people to administer it, wastes time filling it in, posting, processing, confirming, reconfirming, photocopying and responding and still manages to get everything wrong.

Keep the Trident subs going and fill them up with fakes. Trust me, no-one will know the difference.

I don't want to set up my own school thank you very much - I want the government/educationalists to do so.

Leave public sector pensions alone. You simply won't get quality staff staying or joining professions like mine (psychiatry)because the renumeration is rubbish and there has to be some incentive other than a much exploited desire to help others.

More Support for mother's and their Children!

I do not think it would be a good idea to link up with the Government, as then you would need to to promote their policies. It is so important for mothers to be told how it is not just how the government think you should be bringing you your baby. The policies change on almost a weekly basis. Health Visitor oppinions vary so much. Some seem to pass judgement on the mothers who care and have concerns about the up bring of their babies, but parents who do not care or even neglect their children seem to fall by the way side.

There is a shortage of Health Care professionals to help new mothers, but is this only likely to get worse with funding shortages and while I am on my soap box, too much is put on the breast feeding side of things to make mothers who have been unable to breast feed for whatever reason feel like a failure.

Please please please, start a strong national campaign on childhood health.
This would include:

• Stop supermarkets from having so much rubbish available to feed kids, the amount of ready made meals, sweets and stuff filled with colourants is NOT HEALTHY. Unfortunately telling parents out there that is not healthy does not help, some parents are not strong enough to avoid these temptations.

• Stop television from showing so many aggresive and sexually explicit scenes on TV. This includes the stupid british soap operas that do nothing but make anger, pints and sex look fun.

• Please allow mums that want to work but also want to spend time with their kids have more flexibility at work.

• Make every school have proper sports facilities, and every child should have proper excercise (except ofcourse those unable to due to medcial issues). I am not talking about having a little run around the pe hall, but to join in a sport and practice is 3 times a week, there are so many sports available.

• Please close all these coffee shops. Too much cake and coffee is not helping, people are becoming fatter and fatter, no it's not healthy.

• If we help the kids of today be healthier, happier and have a more positive self image we will have a better tomorrow, please invest in kids now.

Put a warning label on every product that contains nutrasweet, and tax children's food/medicine which contains nutrasweet (or other artificial sweetners) to discourage manufactures from loading our children up with chemicals because they are cheaper than sugar.

(although diabetics should not have to pay the tax on nutrasweet)

Oh, and for goodness sake, ban nutrasweet in school dinners! (except for diabetic children) Am sickk and tired of being told I can't put a cholate biscuit in the children's lunch by the same people who are feeding all the other children nutrasweet EVERY DAY.

• More equality between standards for nurseries/ pre-schools and schools, eg why does Ofsted not have to give any warning when visiting nursery schools but does when visiting schools?; food standards, etc.

• Create more jobs for parents of school children, ie. 10am-2pm weekdays.

• Remove religious worship/ instruction from state schools (but not RE as long as it is neutral).

-Decided if tax/benefits are supposed to be an individual thing or a household thing and make sure all the different systems use the same definition of 'household'.

"For example should Mumsnet be promoted by Midwives and Health Visitors to parents when they leave hospital or have their final visit?"

Why on earth should the tax payer fund free advertising for a privately owned website?