LIVERPOOL SCHOOLS FAILING TO INVOLVE SEPARATED AND DIVORCED PARENTS

RESEARCH by child welfare charity Families Need Fathers shows that parents feel schools are not doing enough to help them play an active role in their child's lives after separation or divorce.  Of 503 Families Need Fathers members polled, 78.6% feel they are not adequately informed and involved by their child's teachers following separation from their partner.

Liverpool branch spokesperson, Emlyn Jones, says:- "Some schools in Liverpool are doing great work to encourage the involvement of both parents in their child's education but others are not doing enough and the support parents receive remains a postcode lottery. Research shows that shared parenting can have a powerful and positive impact on children's lives and schools have a crucial role to play in this. By encouraging practical improvements we hope to make life better for children whose parents have separated."

On Friday, 19 June 2009, the charity launched its 'Shared Parenting - Shared Benefits' campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of both parents being actively involved in their child's life after family breakdown. The project is funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).  As part of the campaign, Families Need Fathers is calling on schools to do more to involve both parents in their child's education wherever possible. The charity is also calling on separated and divorced parents to demand their voices are heard.

To support this, the charity has produced new guidance for teachers and school management teams, providing practical examples of how educational professionals should promote shared parenting. For example:-

► The details of both parents should be listed by their child's school and they should both receive important communications

► Both parents should have equal access to meet with professionals involved in their child's life

► Both parents should be involved in key decisions about a child's education and upbringing like choice of GCSEs, A-Levels and school trips

Parents and professionals wanting information and advice can visit:- fnf.org.uk or call the charity's national helpline between 6pm - 10pm Monday to Friday on 0870 7607496.

Local branch meetings are held at The Lauries Centre, Claughton Road, Birkenhead, CH41 4NG at 7.00pm - 9.00pm on the third Thursday of each month.

Tory bill to kill minimum wage goes ahead

TORY MPs are continuing to promote a Bill to abolish the minimum wage, which is due to be debated.

Usdaw is calling on its members to lobby the MPs who are supporting the Employment Opportunities Bill to withdraw their support and for David Cameron to condemn it.

It follows a concerted campaign by the pressure group Wage Concern, led by John Prescott MP and supported by Usdaw and Unison. This grassroots campaign saw more than 12,000 people sign a petition or join the Facebook group; the online lobbying of more than 300 MPs and 139 MPs back an Early Day Motion calling on David Cameron to renounce the bill.

All this pressure led to the bill being pulled from its original slot on 15 May 2009 after Gordon Brown told MPs during Prime Ministers' Question Time to vote against it.

Usdaw General Secretary and Low Pay Commission member John Hannett said:- "I can't believe that Christopher Chope is still promoting this legislation when he didn't have the bottle to debate its consequences with me on the radio. We will continue to defend the national minimum wage from all those who seek to destroy it.  This Bill will leave Britain's most vulnerable workers at the mercy of rogue employers who will pressurise them into opting out of the minimum wage. It offers no choice to low paid workers. Tory MPs are insulting our intelligence by suggesting that there is a human right to pay lower than the legal minimum.  This Bill will remove the floor of minimum wage protection and that means everyone's wages will spiral downwards."

John Prescott added:- "I am delighted that Tory Nigel Evans has seen sense in the face of union pressure and backed down on the bill. It is a shame that his leader has refused our call to publicly renounce this bill too.  The national minimum wage was one of this Labour Government's greatest achievements. If this Tory bill were passed it would take us back to the bad old days of poverty pay and a race to the bottom of the pay scale by employers.".

Many business leaders are calling for Usdaw to think again, as they point out that many small businesses and many larger ones are struggling to make ends meet.  They point out that the added rises only result in extra pressure on already stretched resources and can lead to more cut backs to fund the rises.  Or worse still more businesses failing.  One business leader said:- "We have to stop and think.  Is it better to loose your job, for a shot term gain in wages, that will only be swallowed up by the ever increasing taxes.  Also if businesses are having to cut jobs as they can not afford the wages as it is, where will this cash come from to fund the rises?  Usdaw need to re-think!"