State to offer parenting classes for all

SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT ALL parents should enrol in statebacked parenting classes to learn how to raise their children properly, David Cameron will say as he announces a new plan to stop families breaking up.

In a speech this week, the Prime Minister will argue that all parents – including himself – would benefit from more advice on helping children play and dealing with bad behaviour.

He will use a major speech tomorrow to set out proposals for a new voucher system to incentivise parents to attend the classes, in an attempt to make parenting advice socially “normal” and even “aspirational”.

The Prime Minister’s plan comes as he announces a £70 million investment in relationship counselling to prevent hundreds of thousands of families splitting up over the next five years.

Mr Cameron’s speech marks the latest step in delivering on the Conservatives’ key election promise to help families at every stage of life.

The parenting classes plan could prove controversial, with some likely to claim it represents a “nanny state” approach to families’ private lives. But Mr Cameron believes all parents, not just families from deprived backgrounds, need to get parenting “right”.

In his speech, he will say the Tories have already expanded the number of health visitors to help new mothers and fathers cope in the early weeks.

But this is not enough because children “don’t come with a manual”.

“Is it right that all of us get so little guidance?” he will ask. “What about later on, when it comes to good play, communication, behaviour and discipline? We all need more help with this – the most important job we’ll ever have.” A Government “Life Chances Strategy” will include a plan for “significantly expanding” parenting classes.

“It will examine the possible introduction of a voucher scheme for parenting classes and recommend the best way to incentivise parents to take them up,” Mr Cameron is expected to say.

The Prime Minister wants a key legacy of his time in power to be action to reduce poverty and help improve social mobility.

Mr Cameron will announce that the amount of government money spent on relationship support will double to £70 million over the next five years. The funding is expected to help at least 300,000 more couples who are experiencing difficulties in their relationships, and will train 10,000 more professional counsellors.

Mr Cameron is also expected to announce that 100,000 mentors will be hired to help give guidance to teenagers who are at risk, with more money for rehabilitating drug addicts and treating alcohol addition.

Separately, the law on adoption will be overhauled to speed up the process of placing children with couples, with an extra £200 million of help for new adoptive parents.