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| Schools to offer parents services | Schools to offer parents services |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Schools in England may be asked to provide wider services for parents as well as children, under proposals in the government's Children's Plan. | Schools in England may be asked to provide wider services for parents as well as children, under proposals in the government's Children's Plan. |
| This could include help with housing, benefits, parenting skills and health within school-based centres - and a helpline offering parenting advice. | This could include help with housing, benefits, parenting skills and health within school-based centres - and a helpline offering parenting advice. |
| The plan will also call for more information for parents about their children's learning and behaviour. | |
| But heads warned that schools could not "correct all the ills of society". | But heads warned that schools could not "correct all the ills of society". |
| The Children's Plan, setting out a 10-year strategy, will also propose a review of the primary curriculum in England and a shift to a more flexible form of testing. | The Children's Plan, setting out a 10-year strategy, will also propose a review of the primary curriculum in England and a shift to a more flexible form of testing. |
| Commercial pressure | Commercial pressure |
| There will be moves to protect youngsters from excessive commercial pressures - including advertising that makes children worry about their appearance and weight or which "sexualises" young girls. | There will be moves to protect youngsters from excessive commercial pressures - including advertising that makes children worry about their appearance and weight or which "sexualises" young girls. |
| The importance of children having somewhere safe to play outside will also be emphasised. | The importance of children having somewhere safe to play outside will also be emphasised. |
| The plan, to be announced on Tuesday by the Children, Schools and Families Secretary, Ed Balls, will mark a further move towards schools becoming centres for family welfare services as well as teaching pupils. | The plan, to be announced on Tuesday by the Children, Schools and Families Secretary, Ed Balls, will mark a further move towards schools becoming centres for family welfare services as well as teaching pupils. |
| Schools are increasingly being seen as one of the few agencies that can effectively reach families facing difficulties - and their role is being expanded into areas once associated with social services. | Schools are increasingly being seen as one of the few agencies that can effectively reach families facing difficulties - and their role is being expanded into areas once associated with social services. |
| For pupils, there are already mentors and counsellors - and "extended" schools offer breakfast in the mornings and childcare activities into the early evening. | For pupils, there are already mentors and counsellors - and "extended" schools offer breakfast in the mornings and childcare activities into the early evening. |
| But the government now wants schools to do more to support parents - with the type of family services on offer in children's centres being extended to schools. | But the government now wants schools to do more to support parents - with the type of family services on offer in children's centres being extended to schools. |
| 'Overload' | 'Overload' |
| Social services information and welfare support for parents will be located in school buildings, along with counselling and advice for helping with their children's behaviour or health problems. | Social services information and welfare support for parents will be located in school buildings, along with counselling and advice for helping with their children's behaviour or health problems. |
| There have been concerns that parents of secondary school pupils feel cut off from finding out about their children's progress - and there will be initiatives to make information more available to parents. | There have been concerns that parents of secondary school pupils feel cut off from finding out about their children's progress - and there will be initiatives to make information more available to parents. |
| This could include using websites and e-mail to keep parents in touch with teachers. | This could include using websites and e-mail to keep parents in touch with teachers. |
| But the Association of School and College Leaders, representing head teachers and senior staff, has cautioned that schools could become "overloaded" by such expectations. | But the Association of School and College Leaders, representing head teachers and senior staff, has cautioned that schools could become "overloaded" by such expectations. |
| The heads' union says the government increasingly sees schools as a "lever" to achieve its social policy - but it warns that if this is overused it will leave schools facing an unachievable number of competing demands. | The heads' union says the government increasingly sees schools as a "lever" to achieve its social policy - but it warns that if this is overused it will leave schools facing an unachievable number of competing demands. |