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Current research and policy news from Government departments, research centres, publishers, and relationships and family organisations, along with links to further information.
28 January 2008
National Statistics releases Family Expenditure Survey
National Statistics has released an anniversary edition of the Family Spending Survey. The survey compares the proportion of household budgets spent of various commodities. For example in 1957, food and non-alcoholic drinks accounted for one third of household budget, today they account for only 15 per cent. Housing, on the other hand, is now the single largest payment, at 19 per cent of spending.
Read more: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/fs500108.pdf
25 January 2008
DH announces extra investment in birthing choices
The Department of Health (DH) has announced new investment in maternity services, the funds will ensure a full range of birthing choices for women.
Read more: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=3...
25 January 2008
Hazel Blears calls for improved opportunities for Muslim women
Hazel Blears has called for local authorities to improve opportunities for women. Blears will be sending all local authorities a copy of Empowering Muslim Women: Case studies.
Read more: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=347027&Ne...
25 January 2008
New research finds equal committment levels among same-sex and heterosexual couples
New research published in the journal Developmental Psychology has found that same-sex couples are as committed in their relationships as heterosexual couples. The study compared 30 committed gay male and 30 committed lesbian couples with 50 engaged heterosexual couples and 40 older married couples.
Read more: http://www.apa.org/releases/satisfaction0108.html
25 January 2008
The Healthcare Commission publishes review of maternity services
The Healthcare Commission has publised a review of NHS maternity services. The review ranked services as 'fair performing', 'least well performing', 'better performing' and 'best performing'.
Read more: http://2007ratings.healthcarecommission.org.uk/newsandevents...
23 January 2008
New British Social Attitudes 24th Report
The National Centre for Social Research has published the 24th Report of British Social Attitudes. The findings show, among other things that "70% of people think there is nothing wrong with sex before marriage, up from 48% in 1984".
Read more: http://www.natcen.ac.uk/natcen/pages/news_and_media_docs/BSA...
22 January 2008
New research on paternal role among married and cohabiting couples with children
New qualitative research by Caroline Gatrell of Lancaster University, finds that "among some married / co-habiting couples, where mothers are professionally employed and there are pre-school children, fathers seek to enhance their paternal role". The article goes on to suggest "that paternal strategies to diminish the maternal sphere of influence among both married / co-habiting and divorced fathers may be symptomatic of wider male fears about the erosion of male hegemony".
Read more: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/sore/2007/00000055...
18 January 2008
National Statistics launches new webpages for Sexual Identity Project
National Statistics has launched new webpages to provide information on the Sexual Identity Project. The project, introduced in 2006 will address the need for statistics on sexual identity.
Read more: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/data/measuring-equality/s...
18 January 2008
Research from Families Need Fathers on non-resident parents and school involvement
New research from Families Need Fathers suggests that many non-resident parents have no communication with their children's schools. In a survey of 59 individuals 44% of those who responded said they had not received any correspondence from their children's schools.
Read more: http://www.fnf.org.uk/news-events/press-releases
18 January 2008
Conservative Party Green Paper 'Work for Welfare'
The Conservative Party have launched a Green Paper entitled Work for Welfare: REAL welfare reform to help make British poverty history. The Green Paper 'sets out how a Conservative Government would help create stable families and a more responsible society'.
Read more: http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj...
15 January 2008
New survey from NCT
The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) has produced a new survey showing that many young adults are 'unprepared and misinformed about birth and life with a new born baby'.
Read more: http://www.nct.org.uk/press-office/press-releases/view/62
14 January 2008
New research: gender and work-life balance
New research by Lucy Watt, Business Psychologist from Robertson Cooper Limited entitled Workplace stress: does gender matter? has found that men worry more about their work-life balance than their female counterparts.
Read more: http://www.bps.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/releases$/...
14 January 2008
DCSF announces short-breaks for disabled children
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has provided new funding for Pathfinders, 21 local authorities will launch the first wave extending to all of England in 2009. The funding will provide more disabled children with short-breaks away from their parents and carers allowing parents and carers to take a break from caring.
Read more: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0007
11 January 2008
New research from Fragile Families on mother and child poverty following non-marital birth
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study has released a new brief outlining research into mother and child poverty following a non-marital birth. The study examines the incidence and occurance of poverty and hardship in the first five years following a non-marital birth.
Read more: http://www.fragilefamilies.princeton.edu/briefs/ResearchBrie...
10 January 2008
'Think Family' report published
The 'Think Family' report has been published by the Social Exclusion Task Force. The approach will ensure whole family support rather than supporting individuals alone. A £16 million programme of pilots has been launched.
Read more: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=343798&Ne...
09 January 2008
Ed Balls launches National Year of Reading
The Prime Minister and Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families launch the 2008 National Year of Reading.
Read more: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0002
08 January 2008
The Fatherhood Institute publishes new research on parenting
The Fatherhood Institute, formerly known as Fathers Direct, has published a new poll which surveyed over 1000 people. The findings showed, among other things, that 68% of mums say that dad is just as good at looking after the children and that 95% of men and women say that it is important for dads to spend time caring for children during their first two years.
Read more: http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=0&cID=699
03 January 2008
UCLA publishes research on stress and marriage
The University of California, Los Angeles has published new research tracking levels of the stress hormone cortisol among married couples. The research shows that for women being happily married helps to protect against the stresses of their working lives.
Read more: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/for-women-marital-distr...
03 January 2008
New research from IPPR on child poverty
The Institute for Public Policy Research has published a new report suggesting that more than a million children continue to live in poverty even though one parent is now working.
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