Family friendly
But UK families are currently under great pressure. According to a recent poll of ours, 67 per cent of parents worry their household income will not cover bills in 2012.
In times such as these, public and private sector organisations alike value insight on how to better understand families, and how to truly meet their needs as customers and service users. Our Family Friendly scheme provides this insight. Member organisations receive expertise on how to put diverse families at the heart of what they offer.
Family Friendly launched this year with easyJet, Gatwick Airport, BT and Barclays joining from the private sector. The pioneer member Poole Family Information Service (FIS) has seen other public sector FISs based in Cheshire East, Warrington and Cornwall join up, along with Family Info Links from Stockport.
The next phase of the development of Family Friendly will see schools, children's centres, libraries and nurseries sign up to the scheme.
Recently we visited Poole FIS to see how they were putting membership into practice in their early years' centres. The scheme's unique format is helping the service introduce measures such as providing individual support to parents who find access to childcare difficult, improving its web-based information, and ensuring buggy and wheelchair access.
Organisations not only rely on family members as customers, but also as employees. That's why our Family Friendly scheme also works to promote family friendly working practices within public authorities. In simple terms, Family Friendly can improve the quality of local services, and allows organisations to demonstrate commitment to family life. So please consider joining – and help us to build a truly family friendly UK.
Dr Katherine Rake is Chief Executive Officer of the Family and Parenting Institute.
See www.wearefamilyfriendly.org
20 January 2012
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