Family Affairs
Nick Clegg’s recent misrepresentation of Conservative proposals to strengthen families and recognise the uniqueness of marriage, adopted from Breakthrough Britain, was little more than political point scoring.
He denied that Britain was broken; he accused David Cameron of being obsessed with ‘cajoling people to conform to a single view of what a happy couple should look like’; and he dismissed CSJ family policies as ‘bizarre and patronising’.
Yet Every Family Matters, building on Breakthrough Britain and our early intervention work, calls for a move away from such outdated politics of left and right on marriage and family - instead looking at ‘what works’ for society.
Based on evidence, we call for greater utilisation of marriage preparation courses; community support and guidance for families through new Family Relationship Hubs; a cooling off period before divorce proceedings are initiated; mandatory mediation in children matters; and valuation of the uniqueness of marriage in the tax and benefits system.
It is time to recognise that healthy marriages build healthy families, and healthy families build a healthy society. Reversing social breakdown starts there.
You can read what Nick Clegg MP said here
And read what Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP (Chairman of the CSJ) has to say on the matter here
In the News!
Labour's approach of too much legislation and not enough action has failed. Knife crime is on the rise and is inextricably linked to family breakdown, addiction and educational failure. Chris Grayling argues that there is need for some common sense measures backed up with good quality, visible policing.
To read the article in full, click here
In the News!
Tories Tackle Social Mobility –
NewMajority.com –
10/7/09
Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith has a solution to
the Tories’ lack of electoral victory, it is argued on
NewMajority.com. As the founder of the Centre for Social Justice,
Iain Duncan Smith has formulated a notion of “compassionate
conservatism” that Cameron looks to use as part of his election
campaign. Smith argues that the largest impediment to Tory
success is that voters don’t see Conservatives as “caring”.
To read the article in full, click
here
In the News!
In the first of a new series on fixing Broken Britain, Paul Kendall investigates how society suffers when a family breaks down. A new report released by the Centre for Social Justice calls for the law to focus on marriage as at the heart of the family and proposes a three month "cooling off" period before couples go through with a divorce.
To read the article in full, click here
In the News!
Straw promises another increase in media scrutiny of family courts –
The Times – 9/7/09
Thousands of cases in the family courts will be exposed to increased public scrutiny
under reforms to be announced by Jack Straw. Media restrictions are to be relaxed
and details of child abuse allegations may be published. These reforms have
developed in the light of a campaign, led by The Times, to open up the family courts
and increase their accountability.
To read the article in full, click here
In the News!
Nick Clegg: Out of Love with the Tories? – Spectator - 7/7/09
Nick Clegg’s recent speech on the family includes an attack on the Conservative’s focus on marriage and its preservation. Whether a political manoeuvre or simply an outburst against the Tories’ “bizarre and patronising” family policies, Nick Clegg’s surprising stance is worth keeping an eye on.
To read the article in full, click here
CSJ Awards 2009
The CSJ Awards 2009 took place last night in central London. £70,000 in cash prizes were handed out to poverty fighting groups.
Maxie Richards, pictured, won the Life-time Achievement Award for her work in restoring drug addicts to substance-abuse-free lives. The Award was selected and presented by Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP.
View photos here
www.csjawards.org
