New poll shows Public Services not meeting needs of families and politicians don’t understand ‘real’ Family life

New figures released today by The Family Commission show that the majority of people do not feel that public services go with the grain of family life. Findings confirm what families have been telling the Commission about the need to shape up public services making them more accessible and flexible and refocusing them on providing families with the help they need when they need it.

The high profile, national inquiry into family life, The Family Commission, today released its interim findings. These included new figures from an online YouGov poll which revealed that families feel key public services are not ‘family friendly’. The findings also showed how families would like services to change to become more ‘family friendly’ in the support they provide.

In a wake-up call to politicians ahead of the general election, 81% of respondents thought politicians did not understand the reality of their family life. 

The findings are being released as The Family Commission passes its mid-way point in its 18 month inquiry into family life in Britain. The results will feed into the ongoing consultation with families across the country, run by charity 4Children and chaired by Esther Rantzen.

When asked which of the following public services are ‘family-friendly’ respondents said:

3%   job centres

8%   local councils
27% childcare
30% hospitals
40% GP surgeries
45% schools

18% don’t know

17% none of the listed services were ‘family friendly’ 

When asked about how they would change local services to become more ‘family friendly’ [presented with a series of options] respondents said:

65% more evening and weekend opening hours

51% making accessing services less complicated
43% more activities for children after school
42% having people available to give help and advice when needed
23% to be more welcoming to dads

19% more input over how services are run [from themselves]
9% don’t know
1% other
0% making services less accessible to dads

The figures echo the wider consultation undertaken by The Family Commission which is calling for services to ‘get behind’ families by giving more families the help they need, when they need it. 

When asked whether they thought politicians understood the reality of their family life, respondents answered

81% No

7% Yes

12% don’t know / not applicable

Esther Rantzen CBE, Chair of the Family Commission said: “There are some heart-searching questions to be answered by politicians, and by professionals working with families.   Why are politicians felt to be out of touch with the reality of family life?    Why aren’t schools, GP’s and hospitals more family friendly?   Why aren’t services accessible at times when parents can use them, in a form parents can understand?  If we are to provide the support families need, we must tackle the questions posed by our survey results. Because at the moment, as a society, we are clearly not putting children first.”

Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said: “These findings reflect messages we are hearing loud and clear from families who are telling us that they want better access to services that are more flexible and take their views into account. Disadvantaged families in particular told us that they wanted more say in how their families could overcome difficulties.”

“Families are a great resource but are clear that they need and value help and support to enable them to do their best. Public services need to turn themselves inside out to offer a service that is truly family friendly.”

The final Family Commission report will be released in autumn 2010. People who would like to take part in The Family Commission inquiry and have their say on family life can also do so online via the Family Commission website, http://www.thefamilycommission.org.uk/survey.html.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2024 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 15th - 17th February 2010.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

4Children
4Children is the national charity all about children and families. It aspires to ensure that all children, young people and families have access to a creative, safe and child focused environment, and activities. For more information see www.4Children.org.uk.

• The Family Commission – Happy Families for Today and Tomorrow is a major 18 month inquiry into the extended family in the 21st Century. Launched in April 2009, It  aims to untangle some of the complex realities of families in the UK, to understand how families manage in the changing world, what the state can and should be doing to help them do so, and to explore some of the tensions which people still feel.  It will seek to identify key aspects of support needed – from housing, financial support, child and eldercare, and social services.
• The Family Commission interim findings paper draws from 3,000 surveys, regional study visits, focus groups, desk top research
• The Family Commission draws together academics, industrialists, media representatives, policy makers and specialists who will examine the future of needs of families and recommend solutions going forward.
• The Family Commission will be travelling the country encouraging people to submit their views to us. These will be taken in writing, electronically or verbally.  A major report with far reaching recommendations will be published in autumn 2010 aiming to create a blueprint for family support for the UK for decades to come.