What's the single biggest thing the government could do to help parents?

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello Mumsnetters,
Can I pick your brians for a moment please? Were you to get the chance to sit around a table with Gordon Brown and he was to ask you what government should be doing to help mums and families, what would you say?

what edam said.

Can't tell you why I'm asking, as it's top secret (But it's not for "Dave" - I have a new mate )

Thanks for all the input - do keep 'em coming...

Also agree re the housing situation. Too much so called social housing consists of 2 bedroomed flats (well it does round here).

As for education; stop introducing new policies and targets with such frequency.

Let nannies be self employed so that you don't have an administrative nightmare recruiting and they can set their own rates.

I read an article in The Times yesterday about 'nurses' being asigned to young mums when they are pregnant and being on hand for the first 2 years

fab fab fab idea imo

(and I know they will be accused of nannying again but hey ho)

but this article said this may not definitley on the cards, it was being discussed

it SHOULD be on the cards tell your 'friend'

I know this isn't helping parents as a whole but I wanted my twopenneth

Oh, sort out maternity services. Make sure the money is there to (and PCTs/acute trusts have to spend it on this, not clearing their debts) train and employ more midwives (full time equivalents, not a pure headcount, given most are part-time). And also to train all midwives and HVs in breast feeding support.

Kick Gordon Brown to the kerb.

Simplify the DLA rules; sounds a total nightmare from what I've read on MN.

Free childcare hours regardless of the child's age - I don't get why they offer free nursery hours to older children but not younger ones, when childcare for younger children is so much more expensive already?

Unlimited salary sacrifice for childcare. The limit is currently £243 a month which in London doesn't even buy you a week's childcare.

Increase child benefit to EVERYONE and then tax the extra back off the wealthy, rather than faffing around with tax credits.

Make it illegal to discriminate against employees because of their parental duties (much like it's illegal to discriminate against pregnant women).

Empty the rubbish every week, instead of leaving dirty nappies, fish and old meat rotting for 2 weeks, in the summer months it really smells. I have to put my wellies on and jump up and down to compress it so I can get more in.

Oh and I agree with EJT about making it compulsory for companies to offer salary sacrifice.

Pay us a lump sum to leave the country for good .

Instead of taking my money to pay for free childcare, leave the money in my pocket for me to choose how I spend it.

affordable subsidised decent childcare, for everyone. Even those sahparents who are bloody struggling to parent 24/7.

Cut down on the amount of paperwork that schools and pre-schools have to produce. Let the staff actually teach rather than bogging them down with targets and form-filling.

And tax more those who earn huge amounts of money. and redistribute.
Better ante nathal care

Make childcare tax deductible. I pay my nanny out of my taxed income. If I had a chauffeur, it would be classed as a business expense and I would not pay out of taxed income. GRRRRR.

Also, do like in Sweden where parents can take a year off but it can be split between mother and father. Only way to get fathers taking an equal responsibility and taking equal amount of collateral damage to their careers imho. When they start to the pay the price for children in terms of work prospects, equality for parents will suddenly materialise at the office ..

Enforce the European directive on working hours which is currently not worth the paper it is written on because everyone is leaned on to opt out.. Would have a huge positive impact on family life.

Really effective financial support for families with a SAHP. Make it easier for people not wanting to go back to work so soon to stay off with their babies longer.
Transforming the economy totally in the UK to make an OK lifestyle affordable by all on one average income might take a while longer...

free or heavily subsidised childcare
this would give parents real choice about whether a return to work in enforced or not

If you subsidise all childcare, we all pay more so that means some of us who enjoy the novelty of looking after our own children will have to work more. Reducing tax is the only way that is of help so you have the money to pay for your own childcare and are at liberty to choose.

Stop wasting money and re-distribute, there's no need to tax anyone more.

Pay SAHP a basic 'wage' and build more cheap (really affordable housing and council housing.

Get childcare running properly and make it affordable, and have decent parental leave like they do in some other countries (a year on 80% salary in some Scandinavian countries, I believe).

And stop trying to pretend "choice" is a good thing in education, or that it even properly exists, and instead make ALL schools decent.

Again if you pay sahm a basic wage then those who work will have to work harder to pay for it, spending less time with their children if tax is reduced then you could afford to be a sahm if you choose to