Parents' Forum

We met on Thursday 27th May 2010 in Central London to discuss SureStart.

In all the discussions around the general election there is one thing all commentators and parties have agreed on – that is that Sure Start is a good thing. This forum will look at why is Sure Start so feted; and what will Sure Start become in the light of who has won the election. Jennie Bristow introduced the discussion.

Recommended reading:

http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/8665/
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/8632/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rachel_sylvester/article5309913.ece
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-cameron-is-concealing-his-inner-bush-1958432

I was at my local swimming pool on Friday and noticed that they had closed the creche!  A lifeline for me when I was at home on maternity leave, this was a great facility – I would drop off my daughter for an hour while I went for a swim all by myself, using the opportunity to shower and dry my hair in peace afterwards. A little bit of pampering that would set me up for the day.

This facility was fairly unique in my experience of being a new Mum, because it was all about me. All other services I came across in the world of new motherhood seemed to be about the child, or about my relationship with my child – the toy library, baby massage etc. The creche at the swimming pool simply allowed me to go and enjoy a swim.

I am thinking about setting up a ‘bring back the creche’ campaign. What do you think?

It’s been interesting watching the reaction to some classic ‘child protection gone mad’ stories over the past few weeks – specifically, the idea that parents should be vetted before taking kids to Scouts; the sacking of the dinner lady who told a kid’s parents about a bullying incident; and this latest thing about Ofsted telling two female friends (who were job-sharing) that they’d have to register as childminders. These are quite different stories but there seems to be an understanding that they all fit together – as this report from the ST shows. I think they are all part of the same trend, to regulate more closely individuals’ spontaneous behaviour and the informal arrangements they make – that’s why I object to them.  But is that why there is a more general reaction, or are people kicking against something else?