Parental responsibility has been at the top of the news agenda recently thanks to inflammatory comments made by Education Secretary Michael Gove and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Sir Michael made front page news this week when he told The Times that parents who allow homework to go undone, miss parents’ evenings or fail to read with their children should be fined.

The Ofsted boss’s observations followed similarly controversial comments by the Education Secretary in which he called for tougher penalties for parents of children who are deemed not “ready to learn”.

Mr Gove has promised that a Conservative Government would ensure “stronger sanctions” for parents who did not “play their full part in guaranteeing good behaviour” from their children in the classroom.

As someone who is vastly experienced working in the childcare sector and who is a mother of two children of primary school age, I was disappointed – if not wholly surprised – by the breath-taking assertions made by the two most influential figures in determining the education policies of this country.

Assertion 1:  Culture of low expectations of teachers in schools that children are ‘incapable of greatness’

I agree that there needs to be more continuity in schools between teachers who genuinely wish to support and mentor students to achieve great things and those teachers who fail to recognise the factors which contribute to students’ lack of achievement and write them off as students who ‘won’t go anywhere’. It is this attitude and lack of continuity for ALL students which contributes to lack of attainment!

Assertion 2: Ensuring parents play their full part in guaranteeing good behaviour

No experience you draw from the way you were parented, your evaluation of morals and things you could have done differently as a child and adolescent to give your parents an easier time, nor the way you choose to parent as a result, will ever ‘guarantee’ good behaviour. Parents can do nothing but their best and environmental factors, social influences and support received (or lack of…) all inform this!

Assertion 3: Cutting benefits for parents who refuse to pay imposed truancy fines

Absurd. This will make their situation worse and it will be the children who will suffer because parents with little or no education or quality experience in parenting won’t put the children first necessarily. They will suffer, the whole family will suffer. You can be the best parent you can be, give the appropriate guidance around the importance of schooling but if a child has a determination to play truant and skip school, is that the parents’ fault?

Assertion 4: Impose financial penalties on parents who don’t force their children to do their homework

Sir Michael is a former head teacher of inner city schools and our Ofsted Chief. He should know better than anyone that ‘forcing’ children to do anything will make them rebel and ‘forcing’ anyone to do anything is harmful especially if children are struggling with particular subjects. Children experience enough pressure at school (popularity, doing well, good exam results) without additional pressure from parents worried about financial penalties. That’s not for children to worry about!

Assertion 5: Punish parents for missing parents evenings or not reading with their children

I’m sorry but as engaged as I am in my children’s schooling and given the importance I place on it, even I don’t attend every parents evening! Parents live very busy lives in order to keep the family financially afloat, they work long hours and often aren’t home in time to make the parents evenings because the priority is to pick the children up from after school club (or similar) and ‘try’ to have some quality time before bedtime and the cycle starts again the next day! Single parent families don’t need that additional pressure either. It’s very insensitive to suggest parents should be punished for missing parents evenings when they have very good reasons to do so!

Assertion 6: Parents use poverty as an excuse for ‘bad parenting’

Poverty might not be an excuse but it is a reason. Environmental factors and social influences, lack of parents’ education and the right guidance and support DO inform how well children do in school. This is why we introduced the two-year-old funding!! We recognised that children from deprived areas needed intervention so they had a better chance at school. It seems we’ve forgotten about that now though!!

It is easy for Mr Gove and Sir Michael to make the news with their headline-grabbing soundbites, but they are of no help to parents and children who would benefit far more from greater support and guidance.

We need to develop the right resources and equip parents with them so they can support their families better. This might include incentives, like we do when we encourage people to work instead of staying on benefits.

In the same week Sir Michael was making his comments about parenting and the classroom, I caught sight of a couple of other headlines in the papers including “Couple who let children live in filth will never see them again” and “Jail is best place for your baby ‘worst mother’ told”.

What are the factors behind these stories? Lives of poverty, lack of parents education, history of abuse and neglect themselves (the parents), care homes, little support, no guidance and lack of intervention by the local authorities.

These are serious, complicated and generational issues that need considered discussion and debate. Sir Michael and Mr Gove’s comments might keep newspaper editors happy, but they will ultimately do more harm than good in tackling the deeper malaise within our society.

This blog was written by Leah Winter, SureCare’s Children’s Services Business Development Manager

It was good to hear Prime Minister David Cameron and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt raising the stakes at today’s Dementia Summit in London.

Mr Cameron has done a huge amount during recent months to put dementia at the centre of the Government agenda and today’s summit is the latest stage in this process.

Two of the main calls to come out of the summit were for the pharmaceutical industry to step up the pace of development of new drugs to combat the condition and for those drugs to be made available to patients as early as possible.

Under plans to be announced later this year, regulations will be loosened on the testing of new drugs, as occurred in the drive to reduce the spread of HIV and Aids a few years ago.

The Prime Minister told delegates at today’s summit that a global effort could achieve outstanding results, helping to hold back the onset of the disease by 2025 or, in a best case scenario, finding a cure.

For too long, dementia and Alzheimer’s have been almost taboo subjects, making the work of this Government and other partners all the more commendable.

Care providers like SureCare perhaps have a greater understanding than most regarding the devastating impact dementia can have on the patient and on their family and friends. It is a terrible, cruel condition which can strike anyone.

Each day, our dedicated army of carers across our many franchise territories in England work tirelessly and passionately to ensure dementia sufferers receive the best possible care and their families the best possible support.

Earlier this year, the Government pledged to double funding for research into the disease to £66million in 2015, while pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline announced a £200million investment to create a “centre of excellence” that will turn breakthroughs in the laboratory into effective drugs to combat the condition.

Latest statistics show a significant increase in the number of people affected by dementia globally. A staggering 44 million people now have the condition and this figure is set to rise to 76 million by 2030.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, already affects one in 14 people over the age of 65, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, and one in six over the age of 80.

Mr Cameron told today’s summit: “The truth is that dementia now stands alongside cancer as one of the greatest enemies of humanity.”

Here at SureCare, will continue to do our bit to support the initiatives undertaken by this Government and others to ensure that the global fight to ultimately find a cure for this dreadful condition receives all the help it rightly receives.

New research from care provider Four Seasons Health Care, claims that it is cheaper to care for elderly people in a care home than in their own home.

The report said that if a person has more complex nursing care needs, then less than two hours of domiciliary care every 24 hours could cost the taxpayer more than a full time care home place.

More than 600,000 people currently receive home care in the UK, with the majority funded by local authorities.

Our carers work with elderly clients across our 27 franchise areas and if there is one thing we are certain about it is that care for elderly is not something that can be allocated according to an accountant’s spreadsheet.

Everyone, irrespective of their financial means, is entitled to the best possible care in the later stages of life. This is something that is often forgotten when policy makers and politicians are putting together health and social care proposals.

Colin Angel, the UKHCA’s policy director, summed it up well in his response to the Four Seasons research when he commented: “Around nine in ten people would prefer to be cared for in their own homes if the need arose, with just eight per cent expressing a preference for residential care.

“UKHCA strongly supports the right of people to choose the most appropriate care setting to meet their needs and preferences.”

Rather than number crunching down to the last possible penny, decision makers within the care sector would be better placed investing time in trying to bring about a revolution in the way we deliver care in this country.

The number of elderly people in the UK is increasing year on year and the ability of families to meet their loved ones’ needs is becoming increasingly difficult due to work and financial pressures.

In our planning we need to remember that our elderly are human beings. They will have worked hard all their lives, paid their taxes, raised families while many will have served in our armed forces or done outstanding work for their local communities and good causes.

Just because they have grown old, are perhaps a little bit more frail and prone to health issues, it does not mean that they should be consigned to the scrapheap.

It is incumbent on all of us working in the caring sector to develop and deliver the transformational approach to care that is going to be essential over the coming years. What we do not need is the bean counter’s approach to caring for our loved ones.

The way we care for our children is changing rapidly. Parents are increasingly looking for a high quality, trusted service, but also one which is flexible and affordable.

A study by computer giant Dell shows that childcare provision is improving in the UK, but that it could still do better.

The report showed that the UK came seventh, behind the US, Australia, Sweden, France, Germany and Chile, but was one of only four countries to have improved during the past year.

The study looked at a number of key indicators including availability of childcare and affordability.

Here at SureCare we are busy increasing the range of childcare services we can offer parents in order to meet their varied and often complicated requirements.

Our mobile crèche service to help answer the thorny question of “what to do with the children” at weddings has proved a big hit since launching towards the end of last year, and we are now seeing demand for this service in many different parts of the country.

We run fun mobile crèches for children from three months upwards so you can relax and enjoy the celebrations – and they can have a great time too.

Our friendly staff provide a range of activities, making use of the latest play equipment, for your child to suit their age and interests.

Our crèches can cater for up to 150 children, while we also provide other childcare options for your big day including babysitters and a drop zone for children aged eight and over.

SureCare is also one of the most recognised providers of babysitters in the UK.

Our babysitting is designed for children of all ages and can be used on its own or added on to our other services, such as mobile crèches.

Our friendly staff are fully trained, qualified and DBS checked so you have complete peace of mind.

Our rates are affordable and wherever you are in the country, we can help.

At SureCare we believe in the highest possible standards of service for all children in our care.

Over the coming weeks, we will have a number of further exciting announcements about the extension of our childcare provision.

There are many childcare options but only one will suit your needs exactly and our aim is to be the provider of those needs without compromising on anything you need to support your family living and employment choices.

SureCare offers a solution to your childcare problems which includes quality early years education, learning and development support and access to a range of other services you could use while you negotiate a busy lifestyle.

We are a provider of day-care for children aged 0-5 years and a provider of extended schools provision for children of school age before and after school and during the school holidays. We have plenty of experience with early teens too and so our services to you are not limited to primary school age.

Our expertise includes working with children who have complex needs, additional learning needs and physical disabilities. We’re a fully accessible and inclusive service.

The SureCare children’s team is highly experienced with expertise across a range of childcare areas.

Heading up our team is Managing Director Gary Farrer, one of the UK’s most successful children’s care industry entrepreneurs.

Leah Winter is our recently appointed Children’s Services Business Development Manager who oversees our comprehensive range of child-related services including nurseries, mobile crèches and babysitting.

Leah, a mother of two, has worked for a number of leading children’s nursery chains and as a trainer for the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA).

If you would like further information about any of our childcare services, please give Leah a call on 01244 321199, 07702 363886 or email: leah.winter@surecare.co.uk

An article about Dell’s study of childcare provision around the globe can be seen at

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-2651545/UK-lags-Chile-place-female-entrepreneurs-study-says.html