Funding boost for parenting support

Support services for families are to benefit from a £22.6m
cash boost, children’s minister Margaret Hodge announced this
week.

The largest slice, worth £15.5m and managed by the National
Family and Parenting Institute, will be open to local and national
projects providing parenting support.

Hodge also announced that new projects would be given £2.7m
funding over the next three years to provide support to parents
through the family support grant, and £4.9m will be dedicated
to organisations providing marriage and relationship support.

Hodge said there was too little help and advice available when
parents most needed it most.

The minister also launched a report pulling together findings from
a research programme on parental support involving 14 studies. Its
findings highlight the importance integrated services play in
empowering parents to deal with problems.