Support for Children and Families: Covid-19

Andrew Selous thanked The Sun newspaper for highlighting the debate and mentioned two children's struggles due to parental conflict. He emphasised that mothers are often burdened during the pandemic but should not face these challenges alone, advocating for more present fathers and healthy relationships between parents. He highlighted the importance of efforts such as Patrick Myers' Reducing Parental Conflict programme and pre-marriage courses.

She highlighted the importance of family relationships in determining life chances and praised East Sussex County Council for their efforts during lockdown, particularly their support for families facing unemployment challenges. She also emphasized the need for lifelong family support beyond early childhood and acknowledged the role of various organisations in supporting family life during the pandemic.

Claudia Webbe expressed concern about the impact of covid-19 on children and families in Leicester East. She highlighted that 600,000 more children are now living in relative poverty than in 2012, with 4.2 million children in total living in relative poverty last year. In her constituency, four out of ten children live in poverty, and 14% of households face fuel poverty. She noted the insufficient support provided by the Government during the pandemic, mentioning that Leicester received £7.30 per person in July compared to consultants receiving up to £7,360 per day for a single day's work.

Ms Bruce highlighted the need for a Cabinet-level Minister to lead cross-government efforts in strengthening families. She argued that despite existing support programmes, there is no long-term strategy addressing family resilience and wellbeing, especially during the pandemic. She stressed the importance of preventive approaches, such as integrated early help systems, including family hubs where people can access various forms of support non-judgmentally. Asked the Minister about the £2.5 million allocated by the Chancellor in the Budget to champion family hubs.

Discussed the need for a balanced approach to government intervention, highlighting issues with the tax system for families. He advocated for universal credit support and criticised school policies during the pandemic that send entire year groups home due to one infected child.

The MP highlighted the unprecedented impact of covid-19 on society, especially in deprived areas. She discussed financial pressures and mental health concerns raised by constituents. Jane mentioned ongoing teacher support for children's education and wellbeing during lockdowns, noting efforts to reopen schools safely. The MP also praised local organisations like Amazing Grace for aiding children's learning recovery. Additionally, she commended a collaboration between Loughborough College, Charnwood Borough Council, the business improvement district, and the jobcentre to promote 143 kickstart scheme job opportunities.

Jim Shannon discussed the difficulties children and families face due to the pandemic, mentioning disruptions in routine activities like swimming lessons and family gatherings. He highlighted the importance of mental health support for vulnerable children and praised Northern Ireland's nationally funded school-based counselling service. He cited a survey by Young Minds showing that 80% of respondents agreed the pandemic had worsened their mental health.

She commends the Government's support for local community organisations in delivering programmes such as holiday clubs, which have been essential during the pandemic. She highlights Ay Up Duck's work in distributing meals to children from low-income households and emphasizes the importance of community connections for health benefits.

Julie Marson shared her experience as a magistrate, witnessing the struggles of families affected by drug addiction. She praised the Government's efforts to support families during the pandemic but emphasised that more needs to be done, especially for vulnerable families like those struggling with addiction and poverty.

Miriam Cates highlighted the struggles of families with children who have special educational needs during lockdown, quoting a constituent's email detailing her daughter's severe behavioural issues. She argued that decades of policies encouraging full-time work for both parents have weakened family life and suggested redesigning benefits to allow more time at home when children are young.

Family is fundamental to his Christian beliefs, and he argues that children deserve good parents. He supports the family hubs initiative as they provide services that help keep families together and prevent them from needing state support later in life. During the pandemic, these hubs have become more important for providing a place where families can talk and get a second chance.

Ms. Maskell highlighted the challenges faced by adoptive families due to lockdown, including disrupted adoption processes and increased emotional distress among children. She urged the Minister to prioritise child-focused court sittings and address delays in medical checks. Nearly a third of adoptive parents reported more violent behaviour from their children during lockdown. The additional £6 million for online support should be seen as permanent funding rather than redirected funds, she said, urging the Minister to meet future demands on services supporting vulnerable families.

Ms Creasy highlighted the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on mothers, citing statistics showing women were more likely to be furloughed and face redundancy. She noted a 450% increase in calls to Pregnant Then Screwed's helpline during lockdown due to pregnancy-related issues. Ms Creasy expressed concern over childcare availability post-lockdown, noting that two-thirds of women wanting to return to work cannot do so due to lack of childcare. She emphasised the need for political action and investment in childcare to prevent further destitution.

Highlights the lack of support for new parents during lockdown, noting that over 350,000 babies were born without access to typical post-natal classes or social networks. Emphasises the importance of health visitors, who have seen a 30% reduction since before the pandemic and are crucial for families in vulnerable situations. Recommends increasing specialized parent-infant relationship teams and suggests a 'parent-infant premium' to improve incomes for vulnerable children.

Discussed the impact of the pandemic on children, highlighting issues such as domestic abuse, mental health, food poverty, digital inequality, and access to services. Mentioned that 2 million children faced greater threats during lockdown, with 80% seeing their mental health worsen due to isolation. Noted a significant drop in referrals for children's services during the pandemic.