{"id":37597,"date":"2014-01-08T16:37:49","date_gmt":"2014-01-08T16:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=044e8cb467616d20fffcc023c453111b"},"modified":"2014-01-08T16:37:49","modified_gmt":"2014-01-08T16:37:49","slug":"speech-marriage-foundation-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=37597","title":{"rendered":"Speech: Marriage Foundation conference"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n

I would like to start today by thanking Sir Paul Coleridge \u2013 both for his kind invitation for me to be here today, and for his dedicated work through the Marriage Foundation.<\/p>\n

Although I believe we have started to see a real change in the common discourse in recent years, it has not always been fashionable to speak out in favour of marriage.<\/p>\n

Doing so has often meant being something of a lone voice \u2013 at least within the political sphere \u2013 where, over the years, the political establishment came to frown even at the mere mention of marriage.<\/p>\n

I believe any government serious about tackling poverty and promoting a strong, cohesive society must seek to strengthen families.<\/p>\n

And yet, when a politician extolled the virtues of the fundamental institution of marriage, too often, it has been taken to mean that they are attacking those whose lifestyles don\u2019t fit.<\/p>\n

This is an absurd and damaging assumption.<\/p>\n

Support for society\u2019s most successful institution does not mean that you cannot also be sympathetic to, and supportive of, families where 1 parent is left with the difficult responsibility of bringing up children.<\/p>\n

But for too long, the result has been that the loudest commentators were those opposed to marriage, as an institution no longer wanted or needed by modern British society.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, governments shied away from positively promoting loving family relationships \u2013 and the distinct and powerful role that marriage can play in securing them.<\/p>\n

Couple penalty<\/h2>\n

When this government entered office, then, we inherited a state system in which support for couples had been casually withdrawn\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 not only failing to recognise the importance of stable families \u2013 but actually at risk of making things worse.<\/p>\n

Take the couple penalty in the benefits system, as just 1 example, whereby couples living together and claiming benefits receive less than if they each claimed separately.<\/p>\n

I do not say that it is the state\u2019s role to subsidise marriage. Far from it \u2013 just that the default should be set at an even balance.<\/p>\n

Currently, however, for the most disadvantaged in society\u2026 who come to realise that marriage is an expensive business\u2026 such perverse incentives can have a hugely damaging effect.<\/p>\n

In the welfare system \u2013 as in the court and tax systems \u2013 where the default has been set against couples, the risk is that it entrenches a process of family breakdown.<\/p>\n

Unstable families<\/h2>\n

Whilst I was at the Centre for Social Justice, our research found that it is the poorest households who often feel the negative impacts most severely, when family breakdown becomes caught up with other disadvantages.<\/p>\n

Negative experiences of family relationships are often linked to problems with mental health and wellbeing\u2026 alcohol use\u2026 lower educational attainment\u2026 and problems with children\u2019s own relationships.<\/p>\n

And the government\u2019s own family stability indicator shows that children from the lowest income families are twice as likely to not live with both parents, compared to their better-off peers.<\/p>\n

Families first<\/h2>\n

Given trends to date, we know that this figure is likely to deteriorate further over the next 5 years.<\/p>\n

So we must no longer be afraid to talk about these issues.<\/p>\n

Not as a \u2018finger wagging\u2019 exercise, as has sometimes happened in the past \u2013 for government has no place judging peoples\u2019 relationships.<\/p>\n

But we do have a duty both to level the playing field \u2013 for too long tilted against marriage\u2026 <\/p>\n

\u2026 AND to do all we can to support the sustained and healthy parental relationships that matter most\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 providing a nurturing environment and giving children the best possible start in life. <\/p>\n

Promisingly, this government is taking bold steps\u2026 far greater, I believe, than any before\u2026 towards ensuring families have the help and support they need to flourish.<\/p>\n

One of our first moves was to establish a new Social Justice strategy \u2013 which put families first, prioritising strong couple relationships and children\u2019s early years, when parents are the main influence on their future outcomes\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 holding, for the first time, that family breakdown can be both a symptom and a cause of poverty and low attainment.<\/p>\n

Since, then we have made some real progress in putting these principles into practice\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 in the welfare system \u2013 reducing the couple penalty under Universal Credit, alongside household payments and a simpler system which will make for better support\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 in the legal system, where the Children and Families Bill is providing for presumed shared involvement in the life of a child, where parents separate\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 and reforming the Child Maintenance system \u2013 supporting separated families and helping them make the involvement of both parents the norm\u2026we know that children do better when this is happens\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 and in the tax system, where the Chancellor confirmed in his Autumn Statement just yesterday that we will introduce a transferable tax allowance for married couples from April 2015 \u2013 meaning around 4 million married couples and civil partners who pay the basic rate of tax, will see their tax bills cut by up to \u00a3200 a year.<\/p>\n

Cohabitation and marriage<\/h2>\n

As the Chancellor said, this is just the start \u2013 but it is nevertheless an important moment in reversing the bias against marriage.<\/p>\n

For the evidence shows that cohabitation and marriage are 2 different relationships.<\/p>\n

We know that cohabiting parents are around 4 times more likely to have separated by the time a child is 3.<\/p>\n

And by the child\u2019s fifth birthday, more than 1 in 4 of those who cohabit have split up, whereas for married parents the break-up rate is fewer than 1 in 10. <\/p>\n

Of course I\u2019m aware that there are other factors at play \u2013 the characteristics of those who choose to cohabit compared to those who marry, and the fact that those with good quality relationships may be more likely to get married in the first place, and therefore stay together.<\/p>\n

But it remains that one tends to have greater longevity and stability than the other.<\/p>\n

Aspirations<\/h2>\n

What we also know \u2013 from a variety of polls \u2013 is that when young people below the age of 35 are asked about their aspirations, three quarters place marriage near the top of their list. <\/p>\n

So it\u2019s not that other people don\u2019t agree on the importance of marriage \u2013 rather, they have a low regard for what they see as political cynicism, which targets selected groups of people to make a point.<\/p>\n

The reality is that things don\u2019t always go to plan, and that relationships can break down for unavoidable reasons \u2013 so this is not a case of government moralising on people\u2019s circumstances. <\/p>\n

There are separated and lone parent families all over the country doing the difficult job of bringing up children and often succeeding against the odds. <\/p>\n

Just as there are loving couples who have never married and are just as committed to one another.<\/p>\n

They are to be celebrated and we should do what we can to help them.<\/p>\n

But, as the Marriage Foundation and others have argued for some time, there is something special about the commitment that marriage involves, which needs to be acknowledged publicly:<\/p>\n

the willingness to openly and actively plan for the future \u2013 in turn, promoting responsibility and stability in other aspects of the relationship and family life. <\/p>\n

With the vast majority \u2013 as I said, some three quarters of young people \u2013 aspiring to marry\u2026 yet, by the age of 35, only something of like 57% have married.<\/p>\n

With young people\u2019s aspiration so outstripping achievement, I believe we must approach this issue by asking what stops them from doing so\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 looking at how we can remove the barriers that currently stand in their way, and ensuring people have the opportunity to realise that aspiration.<\/p>\n

Relationships education<\/h2>\n

One area where I believe we can make a real difference is through relationships education\u2026 taking the stigma out of the idea that needing help means you have somehow failed as a partner or a parent, and instead making this the norm.<\/p>\n

Our aim should be to start this process early \u2013 getting to those at risk, and preventing problems rather than waiting to pick up the pieces.<\/p>\n

Take young couples \u2013 too many of whom face the difficulty of an unrealistic expectation of what married life will be like, in some cases an almost fairytale view.<\/p>\n

Reinforced by celebrity culture and the glossy spreads in Hello! Magazine, the focus is too often overwhelmingly on the ceremony itself \u2013 by some estimates costing an unbelievable \u00a320,000 on average\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026. with some couples getting into debt just to meet the costs.<\/p>\n

Starting married life with a large overhang of debt\u2026 but without the understanding that marriage requires compromise to overcome real challenges\u2026 <\/p>\n

\u2026 all of this puts huge pressure on newly married couples from the start.<\/p>\n

What seems to have been forgotten is that the point of marriage is love, commitment, and creating a stable environment in which to bring up a family.<\/p>\n

None of these cost more than the price of a marriage licence.<\/p>\n

That is why the work of the Relationships Alliance and other community organisations \u2013 like many gathered here today \u2013 is so invaluable\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026. helping to explain what is needed to sustain and build a strong relationship. <\/p>\n

The government has already funded marriage preparation and relationship education for over 6,000 couples, alongside training for over 12,000 practitioners to help them support families experiencing relationship difficulties.<\/p>\n

Family breakdown<\/h2>\n

But we must go further, and do more, to support families to become resilient to life\u2019s challenges\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 a principle that applies regardless of whether couples are together or apart.<\/p>\n

This belief underpins the government\u2019s commitment to supporting individuals whose relationships have sadly broken down\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 where our priority must be to minimise conflict\u2026 ensuring parents have access to the help they need to maintain family relationships\u2026 and mitigating the negative impact on children.<\/p>\n

Here too, relationship education has a vital role to play \u2013 and the government is right behind this agenda.<\/p>\n

My Department has invested \u00a310 million in an Innovation Fund, developing and testing new services to help separated parents.<\/p>\n

Seven projects are up and running, and I am pleased to announce the second round of investment for another 10 today \u2013 funding cutting edge interventions from virtual coaching and mediation, to therapeutic help for specific groups such as Asian families and teenage parents.<\/p>\n

Importantly, the Fund works on the basis of payment by results, meaning providers are rewarded for meaningful improvements \u2013 be it more amicable financial arrangements or consistent contact with both parents.<\/p>\n

By preventing as well as tackling entrenched conflict, the outcomes for children can be significantly improved \u2013 giving them a far better chance of having a stable relationship themselves in future.<\/p>\n

Scale of the challenge<\/h2>\n

Yet it remains the case that for these interventions to see success in reducing the level of family breakdown across the UK, they must work against a tide of well-established social and economic trends.<\/p>\n

Assuming there were to be no further increase in family breakdown \u2013 which we know from current trends is unlikely \u2013 the government\u2019s family stability indicator tells us there would need to be an 80,000 reduction in the number of birth parents separating to realise a 1% drop in the indicator.<\/p>\n

A considerable number, without a doubt.<\/p>\n

Yet the same reduction in terms of low income families equates to just 16,000 families.<\/p>\n

So the scale of the challenge is significant \u2013 but we need to keep it in perspective. <\/p>\n

By taking advantage of technology and finding new ways to reach parents in need, we can break new ground.<\/p>\n

Take the fact that the government\u2019s virtual parenting services helped over 4 million parents this year alone, including over 70,000 receiving intensive support.<\/p>\n

We have the scope to reach out to many of those families who \u2013 with the right support \u2013 might overcome the problems they face at home.<\/p>\n

However, we do need to understand better both the drivers behind family formation, and what works in bolstering strong and stable families.<\/p>\n

It is another step in the right direction that we are now conducting a Family Stability Review across government.<\/p>\n

This will look closely at the support available across different departments and agencies\u2026 as well as what further work might be needed to drive improvements in family stability.<\/p>\n

Expected to report next year, the aim is to ensure our action is effective, evidence-based, and better coordinated across the many relevant bodies with an interest in supporting strong and loving families.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The government has done a lot already \u2013 especially in difficult economic times, when it would have been all too easy to put this to one side\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 and in a coalition, which like all good partnerships, has required a good deal of give and take.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister\u2019s pledge stands, and we are making progress\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 but if you ask me, \u2018is that it on families?\u2019, then my answer is no.<\/p>\n

Now is the time to drive home the message that stable, loving families matter, and marriage matters to them.<\/p>\n

For our communities\u2026 in the fight against poverty\u2026 and in setting children on the path to success. <\/p>\n

This is a critical part of reshaping our society\u2026 <\/p>\n

\u2026 supporting couples, for better and for worse\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 and giving our children the best chance of a bright future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tackling poverty and promoting a strong, cohesive society through strengthening families and the instituion of marriage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37597"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37597"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37597\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}