Christian Charity Rebukes Government for lack of Social Exclusion Engagement

The Christian Charity CARE has expressed concern about the government's new social exclusion action plan published last week. The organisation expressed disappointment with a lack of engagement undertaken by policymakers.

Daniel Boucher, CARE's Director of Parliamentary Affairs said, "Whilst there is much in the document which we commend, we are very disappointed at the failure of government to properly engage with the 'quality of the relationship' between parents and its huge implications for the 'parenting process.

"Any social exclusion action plan that wisely emphasises the importance of the 'early years' must take note of the vast amount of scholarship (including one of the background papers to the Prime Minister's social exclusion speech given in York last week), demonstrating that the quality of relationship between parents is central to the efficacy of their parenting, gaining its best expression in marriage."

|QUOTE|Boucher added, "Government can devise any number of excellent programmes but if it fails to give appropriate regard to the 'relational quality' question, supporting where possible the most stable and sophisticated parenting relationship context, marriage, it really is missing the point."

CARE is a Christian charity which seeks to combine practical caring initiatives with public policy on social and ethical issues. CARE campaigns, provides resources, undertakes caring work and brings Christian insight and experience to matters of family, education, media, citizenship and bioethics.

He concluded, "Any government serious about tackling social exclusion should view the restoration of married couple's tax allowance as an absolute priority and invest more in the growing number of successful voluntary sector projects designed to support healthy and happy marriages."