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You are here: About us Family policy Policy discussion papers

The aim of the Policy Discussion Papers is to review existing evidence and to offer informed discussions about various issues that impact the lives of young people and their families.

Policy Discussion Papers are available as free downloads from this page and most can be purchased in printed form at £4.50 each from our Orders page.

Family Services: the next steps, Clem Henricson and Claire Jordan, May 2007

This paper draws on the findings of the Commission on Families and the Wellbeing of Children to consider one major aspect of support for families and children: family services,. These support the emotional well being of children within their families and directly target the parent/child relationship. The range of services currently available to families is set out, and proposals made for their future development.

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Marketing To Children And Parents - A Checklist, February 2007

This checklist is based on messages from research into parents' views on the marketing of food products to children.

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Locality, school and social capital, December 2006

Policy review 1 considers the transitionary period from primary to secondary school, based on research undertaken by the Families and Social Capital Group, at South Bank University. The review places this transition in the wider context of policy initiatives and recent Government legislation. The policy review is part of the ESRC funded project - Bridging into Family Support Policy.

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Transnational families, December 2006

Policy review 2 explores policy related themes within three research papers relating to transnational families. It examines the functioning of mutual and reciprocal relations related to care, the role of rituals and the formation of transnational identities. The policy review is part of the ESRC funded project - Bridging into Family Support Policy.

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Youth transitions and social change, December 2006

Policy review 3 explores young people's accounts of their transitions into adulthood, based on research undertaken by the Families and Social Capital Group, at South Bank University. The review places these accounts in the wider context of policy initiatives and recent Government legislation. The policy review is part of the ESRC funded project - Bridging into Family Support Policy.

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Implementation of the Every Child Matters Green Paper, Carena Rogers. January 2006

This briefing is a review of events following the publication of Every Child Matters. It provides a comprehensive overview of the major changes that have occurred within the different strands that are integral to children's services and family support. It is intended as a summary of the Government's policy on children and families and covers the period from the publication of Every Child Matters in September 2003.

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Parents' Involvement in Children's Learning and Schools, by Jenny Reynolds. January 2006

Parents' Involvement in Children's Learning and Schools is a timely survey of the current evidence around issues of parental involvement, offering a comprehensive overview of models and initiatives designed to engage parents in their children's education.

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Financial support for children - defining responsibilities and adequacy by Donald Hirsch. December 2005

Financial support for children - defining responsibilities and adequacy is based on findings in the recently launched report from the Commission on Families and the Wellbeing of Children, in co-operation with the NFPI and NCH, which outlined proposals to improve conditions for families in the UK. The author, Donald Hirsch, is an independent consultant for social policy.

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Young adults and the extension of economic dependence in youth: Implications for families. A National Family and Parenting Institute Policy Discussion Paper prepared by Professor Gill Jones. May 2005

The aim of the first in a new series of policy discussion papers from the National Family and Parenting Institute is to review the recent research evidence that shows how young adults are remaining economically dependent on their parents for longer and to raise questions for policy makers about the issue.

The last few decades have seen an extension of dependence among young people. Where dependent children in the UK are still legally defined as under 16 or 16-18 and in full-time education, this definition has de facto changed. A combination of a policy emphasis on education and training, and the loss of much of the youth labour market, have made young people at least partially dependent well beyond these ages, bringing into question the division of responsibility for them between the family and the state. This policy briefing considers the current needs of young people making the transition to adulthood, and the roles of families and the state in meeting those needs. The main focus here is on the extension of dependence on economic support, but young people also need emotional support and encouragement from their parents.

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Aspirations and Expectations by Charlotte Ritchie, Eirini Flouri and Ann Buchanan of the Centre for Research into Parenting and Children, University of Oxford. May 2005

Aspirations and Expectations reviews current thinking into why there is still a deficit of aspiration amongst so many children and young people. Despite progress in improving children's life chances, large numbers are still missing out on opportunities and the gap between achievers and non-achievers is widening.

The questions remain as to what teachers, parents, government and family support agencies could do to encourage children to fulfill their potential. If we are to break the cycle of social exclusion, policy makers need to know more about how young people formulate their life goals.

Poverty and low expectation make it is easy to fail at school. Yet, children's exam successes are not necessarily linked to family finance - low-income families with high aspirations as well as interested teachers and parents can encourage their children to do well. How is it that some groups strive and succeed while others are left behind?

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Children at risk 2002-2003: government initiatives and commentaries on government policies, July 2003

The Green Paper on children at risk was published in September 2003. In order to support organisations in making their response to this consultation, the FPI wrote an overview of major commentaries on government policy in this area and the government's response to those commentaries in its policies.

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Supporting poor families, December 2002

The UK has the fourth largest economy in the world and yet we have one of the highest levels of child poverty of all industrialised countries.

Children born into poverty have a lower birth weight, higher infant mortality and poorer health. As they grow up they are less likely to stay on at school and will have fewer qualifications. In adulthood they will be lower paid, experience unemployment and are likely to die younger.

The Government have pledged to end child poverty within a generation, to halve it by 2010 and quarter child poverty by 2004.

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Changing times: support for parents and families during pregnancy and in the first twelve months, July 2002

This paper summarises why pregnancy and the first year of life is a crucial period for both children and families. It explores parental support, what is needed and whether these needs are being met and concludes by making a range of policy recommendations to help improve support services and information for parents during this early period of life.

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