Flexible working comes top of families' election wishlist
Joe Lepper
Monday, March 22, 2010
Flexible working for parents and curbs on marketing aimed at children are among the key policies families want to see politicians address, according to a new survey.
The Family and Parenting Institute-commissioned survey asked families to list their top priorities for the next government to make Britain more family friendly.
The most popular answer, mentioned by 44 per cent of respondents, was free universal care for the elderly, followed by flexible parental leave, which was mentioned by 41 per cent of respondents.
Better public transport was the third choice, followed by less marketing to children and reform of tax credits.
Improving health visiting services was mentioned by a fifth of respondents as a policy priority, and the creation of more Sure Start centres was highlighted by 16 per cent.
The survey also shows that no one party has a clear lead on family issues. Labour is narrowly seen as the most family friendly UK party by 27 per cent of respondents, compared to 24 per cent for the Conservatives.
The Liberal Democrats are behind in third place with just 10 per cent of respondents believing they are the most family friendly party.
Katherine Rake, the FPI's chief executive, called on the government to address families' concerns regarding tax credit reform in this week's budget.
She added: "Beyond the Budget, British families need to be provided with greater flexible working opportunities. Such measures are vital for a truly family-friendly society."
