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How can we make Britain more family-friendly?

4 replies

Carriemumsnet · 31/08/2010 16:15

Mumsnet are launching an initiative to try and make Britain the most family-friendly country in Europe (well...the world actually, but we thought we'd start small Smile) Ambitious plan? Just a bit, but we think long overdue. We want to challenge companies - and we're talking everyone from travel firms to supermarkets, restaurants to mobile phone merchants - to join our programme and find out - from Mumsnetters - how they could make their industry more family-friendly. We're going to look at every aspect of how a company operates from how they market their goods to the welcome and facilities they provide to families. And then we want to encourage them to do business in a way that makes life easier for families not more difficult, and ultimately give Mumsnet Family-friendly awards to the ones that do it well.

Obviously we'll need lots of help and input from the folks who know most about all this - ie you. So before we really get going, we want to know what you think. What does family-friendly mean to you and what criteria should we use to judge whether a company is family-friendly or not? What do you love about what some companies are already doing and - just as important - what do you think they should stop doing? Is it the way companies try to sell products to you or your children that makes you cross or is it the fact that you can never squeeze your buggy down the aisle at your local coffee shop? Or both, or neither? If you could pick three things you'd change about any industry to make it more family friendly - what would they be?

Lots of questions but we'd love to hear your thoughts so please, post 'em here

Thanks

MNHQ

Vickimumsnet · 14/09/2010 09:22

This is a really fascinating thread - we have been talking about FF in the office (as you might guess!) and we all agreed that going out to eat was one of the things that springs to mind first. Those chicken nuggets and places that allow 2 inches between tables. I am going to be putting together the Mumsnet FF pledge (charter/challenge - name tbc)so I'm starting to group together some of the Big Issues! I'd love to have some more feedback - like what does FF mean for older children? What happens when your kids hit 8/9/10 and up. What about older children and transport - or teenagers and nights out? It would also be good to get some thoughts on some of the big sectors and how they are doing - supermarkets, theme parks/attractions, airline? Any more thoughts very helpful! Smile Vicki MNHQ

Vickimumsnet · 15/09/2010 15:15

Hi

Really interested to see your post about marketing? This is an area I think is absolutely part of FF. Tell me more! Vicki MNHQ

Vickimumsnet · 17/09/2010 08:03

Interesting that you should bring up work places - an earlier post suggested that workplaces should have to put up their Ff policies because it is very hard to find out what they are and impossible to ask at the job interview. Like the idea of Mumsnetters voting for their favourite employee. Speaking of which, fresh(ish) from the holiday season what do you think to airlines? Any favourites? Vicki MNHQ

Vickimumsnet · 20/09/2010 15:44

completely agree - and I think fathers find it especially hard to get their bosses to rememeber thy have families to go home to. Within this campaign we'll be auditing companies so they will have to demonstrate what they actually do - not just what they say they do. We'll be doing some mystery shopping as well.....

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