Cameron announces drive to improve parenting skills

In a speech today, Prime Minister David Cameron said that families are the "best anti-poverty measure ever invented" and that parenting classes must be made more accessible for all families.

As part of attempts to address child poverty, the government's Life Chances Strategy will include a plan for "significantly expanding parenting provision".

It will examine the possible introduction of a voucher scheme for parenting classes and recommend the best way to incentivise parents to take them up.

Meanwhile parenting skills and child development will become central to how the flagship Troubled Families programme is delivered.

"In the end, getting parenting and the early years right isn’t just about the hardest-to-reach families, it’s about everyone," said Cameron.

"We all have to work at it. And if you don’t have a strong support network – if you don’t know other mums or dads, having your first child can be enormously isolating.

"Of course they don’t come with a manual, but is it right that all of us get so little guidance?"

Cameron will say that despite the fact that the number of health visitors has increased in recent years, they only deal with parenting in the first few weeks and months.

"What about later on, when it comes to good play, communication, behaviour and discipline," he said.

"We all need more help with this – the most important job we’ll ever have.

"So I believe we now need to think about how to make it normal – even aspirational to attend parenting classes."

Cameron is also due to announce that funding for relationship support to £70m over the next five years - compared with the £35m commitment over the last parliament, which helped 160,000 couples.

"Children in families that break apart are more than twice as likely to experience poverty as those whose families stay together," Cameron said.

"That’s why strengthening families is at the heart of our agenda."