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Parents lacking skills - Grayling Parents lacking skills - Grayling
(about 17 hours later)
Many parents do not know how to bring up children, Conservative frontbencher Chris Grayling is to say. Many parents do not know how to bring up children, Conservative frontbencher Chris Grayling has said.
The shadow work and pensions secretary will warn in a speech that parenting of the type seen in the TV show Shameless has become the "norm" in many places. The shadow work and pensions secretary warned in a speech that parenting of the type seen in the TV show Shameless has become the "norm" in many places.
But he will warn that the Conservative Party should never again be seen as being "at war with lone parents". But he said that the Conservative Party should never again be seen as being "at war with lone parents".
He is expected to back action to revive parenting skills, emphasising the role of work in helping to structure lives. Children's charity NCH welcomed any "change in attitude" to lone parents but questioned the "Shameless analogy".
In a speech to the Reform think tank, Mr Grayling will say the Conservative Party should focus on parenting problems generally - not on single parents. In a speech to the Reform think tank, Mr Grayling said the Conservative Party should focus on parenting problems generally - not on single parents.
'Disappearing' skills'Disappearing' skills
"In too many parts of our society responsible parenting and good parenting experience is disappearing," Mr Grayling is expected to say. "In too many parts of our society responsible parenting and good parenting experience is disappearing," Mr Grayling said.
"I think many parts of our society no longer know how to bring up children. We live in a country where in many places Frank Gallagher-style parenting has become the norm and not the exception.""I think many parts of our society no longer know how to bring up children. We live in a country where in many places Frank Gallagher-style parenting has become the norm and not the exception."
Sometimes over the past 25 years the Conservative Party has seemed to be at war with lone parents. That should not happen again Chris GraylingSometimes over the past 25 years the Conservative Party has seemed to be at war with lone parents. That should not happen again Chris Grayling
He will say in many families children are "largely left to their own devices" and will ask how people learn parenting skills, "if that inherited knowledge simply isn't there". He said in many families children are "largely left to their own devices" and will ask how people learn parenting skills, "if that inherited knowledge simply isn't there".
He will add: "Those skills can quickly disappear. In many of our most troubled areas, the generations pass pretty quickly. Thirty-year-old grandparents and 45-year-old great-grandparents are far from unusual in today's Britain. " He added: "Those skills can quickly disappear. In many of our most troubled areas, the generations pass pretty quickly. Thirty-year-old grandparents and 45-year-old great-grandparents are far from unusual in today's Britain."
But he will say it is a more complex issue than family breakdown alone. But he said it was a more complex issue than family breakdown alone.
"Sometimes over the past 25 years the Conservative Party has seemed to be at war with lone parents. That should not happen again," he will say. "Sometimes over the past 25 years the Conservative Party has seemed to be at war with lone parents. That should not happen again," he said.
He said the party should concentrate on helping lone parents, not stigmatising them, by reforming the Child Support Agency.He said the party should concentrate on helping lone parents, not stigmatising them, by reforming the Child Support Agency.
And he will re-emphasise the value of work in structuring lives and strengthening a sense of personal responsibility. And he re-emphasised the value of work in structuring lives and strengthening a sense of personal responsibility.
Clare Tickell, chief executive of NCH, said: "The Conservative Party's growing understanding and concern for those trapped in the cycle of poverty and poor parenting is welcome. The change in attitude to lone parents shows their commitment to change.
"However, any use of negative labels to describe vulnerable parents risks stigmatising and isolating those most in need. Chris Grayling's use of the 'Shameless' analogy shows these negative attitudes are still widespread."
Fiona Weir, chief executive of the charity Gingerbread/One Parent Families, also welcomed "the new warmth of tone" from the Conservatives but added: "The proof will be in the policies."
She questioned the Conservatives' idea of tax breaks for some married couples as being "hard to reconcile with a positive recognition of lone parents' needs".