DadTalk

Support for all

The DCSF published a report this week titled Support for all the families and relationships green paper.

The DCSF published a report this week titled ‘Support for all: the families and relationships green paper.’ Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families provides the introduction:

“Strong, stable families are the bedrock of our society. Families give children the love and security they need to grow up and explore the world, and the moral guidance and aspiration to make the most of their talents and be good citizens. And families are where most of us find the support and care necessary for a happy and fulfilling life - as children and adults, parents and grandparents too. This Green Paper sets out a wide range of measures to support all families as they bring up their children and to help families cope with times of stress and difficulty. They recognise that while all families need some help, there are families in our society with complex needs and others who require additional - and sometimes non-negotiable - support. Some of the policy proposals can be implemented straight away; others are for consultation or will take longer to put into place.”

You can download the paper and be part of the consultation (deadline is 21st April 2010) from here

What is a green paper?

• The Oxford English Dictionary definition of a Green Paper is "a preliminary report of government proposals published to stimulate discussion."
• A Green Paper is a Government publication that details specific issues, and then points out possible courses of action in terms of policy and legislation.
• It is commissioned from the relevant department if the Government feels that there is an area where new legislation is required, or existing legislation needs to be re-vamped.
• A Green Paper contains no commitment to action, it is more a tool of stimulating discussion, but it is often the first step towards changing the law.

Watch the GMTV coverage to see how this may affect you: