← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
Support for Children and Families: Covid-19
20 October 2020
Lead MP
Danny Kruger
East Wiltshire
Reform
Responding Minister
Vicky Ford
Tags
NHSEducationEmploymentWomen & EqualitiesMental HealthChildren & FamiliesLocal Government
Word Count: 15524
Other Contributors: 15
At a Glance
Danny Kruger raised concerns about support for children and families: covid-19 in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP suggested two principles: greater investment in community social infrastructure such as family hubs and direct investment in families to address immediate needs. He proposed focusing support on households with children rather than extending the £20 per week uplift for all universal credit claimants beyond April next year, arguing it would cost nearly £6 billion annually.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The MP observed that while lockdown provided an idyllic existence in some areas, families facing financial or emotional distress suffered greatly during the pandemic. He noted increases in domestic violence, alcohol and substance abuse, mental health issues, and poverty rates. Save the Children reported that 40% of families became worse off and 20% relied on food banks. The MP highlighted the challenges faced by children with disabilities, those in foster care, and others who depend on support outside their homes.
Andrew Selous
Con
South East Cornwall
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.
Caroline Ansell
Con
Eastbourne
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
Lab
Leicester East
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.
Fiona Bruce
Con
Congleton
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.
Chingford and Woodford Green
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.
Jane Hunt
Con
Loughborough
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
DUP
Strangford
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.
Jo Gideon
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent Central
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
Con
Hertford and Stortford
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
Con
Penistone and Stocksbridge
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.
Don Valley
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.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
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.
Stella Creasy
Lab Co-op
Walthamstow
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.
Tim Loughton
Con
East Worthing and Shoreham
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.
Tulip Siddiq
Lab
Hampstead and Highgate
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.
Government Response
Vicky Ford
Government Response
The Government are dedicated to supporting children and families, with the Secretary of State for Education now having oversight of family policy. The minister highlighted key areas such as mental health support through the Wellbeing for Education Return project, which has been signed up by over 97% of local authorities; funding increases for special educational needs, including an extra £10 million from the Family Fund specifically for pandemic-related expenses; and investment in adoption recruitment and support services. The minister also mentioned providing financial assistance during the crisis through measures like extending free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds, spending over £9 million on welfare system injections, and allocating £63 million for discretionary financial help to local authorities.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.