This prompted some of the national press to brand her a Labour mouthpiece and "hard-line feminist" who is opposed to marriage.
Speaking to CYP Now the day after the speech, Rake insists: "What we certainly were not saying was that marriage is no longer relevant or an important institution. We were simply holding a mirror up to family life which is incredibly complex now. Politicians have to recognise and engage with that complexity."
Rake made the speech at the organisation's annual conference while introducing its research report, Family Trends. It shows fewer people are getting married, more are co-habiting and the number of lone parents is increasing. It also indicates that fathers want to spend more time with their children while more mothers want to enter the workforce.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
