Advice services face helpline threat

The proposals, set out in the government's families and relationshipsgreen paper earlier this year, suggest a national helpline with a singlephone number and website could make it easier for parents to accessadvice.

But Cathy Ashley, chief executive of Family Rights Group, which runs aspecialist advice line, claimed the plans could sink smaller services,many of which rely on government funding.

"Our main worry is that this will not be in addition to existinghelplines, but instead of," she said. "This could kill off the veryservices for which there is a proven demand."

She warned that families with children on the edge of care or at risk ofbeing excluded from school are among those who would be hardest hit ifspecialist advice lines were lost.

"Families in real difficulty need and trust independent experts who cantalk them through their options in a non-judgmental way," she explained."They will not trust the equivalent of a government-run generalsuperstore for parents."

Ashley added the diagnostic approach used by NHS Direct to assess healthcould not be replicated to identify the complex needs of vulnerablefamilies.

She urged government to promote the advice line offered by fellowcharity Parentline Plus as the first port of call for general parentingconcerns and to supplement this by raising awareness of existingspecialist helplines.