Should we teach parenting ?

Earlier this year there was an event at the House of Commons which asked the question ‘Should we teach parenting?' (This links to the idea of child protection through early interventions.) The debate is especially important to parents in Scotland because of the compulsory surveillance of parenting through the `named person.`

The panellists that night included individuals from a range of professions: Professor Rosalind Edwards (Southampton University), Professor Val Gillies (London South Bank University), John Hemming MP, Jennifer Howze (Britmums) and Naomi Eisenstadt (University of Oxford/former Director of Surestart).

It seems to me that the interest in teaching parenting is not about parenting per se.  The interests now are in certain groups - marginalised young mothers. The implication is that these groups have created their own marginalisation and it is being passed on inter-generationally through parents.

The other side of that is that the middle classes have got where they are today through the excellence of their parenting.

If you take that view that means that you can ignore the conditions under which people parent. You can ignore the fact that mothers might not have enough money or may be living in poor housing conditions or they may live miles away from family support or they may have got an expensive and infrequent bus journey to get to facilities.

 

To view the video see link below:
https://facultimedia.com/downloads/should-we-be-concerned-or-pleased-about-this-interest-in-parenting-and-in-particular-early-intervention-2/#./

Naomi Eisenstadt, one of the panellists, visited Scotland to see and comment on the work of the Early Years Collaborative.

She has a more disparaging view of poor parents which includes the grandparents. "I have three concerns on grandparent care: (1) it can replicate class disadvantage, in that the home learning environment of the grandparents is likely to be similar to that of the parents; (2) the grandparents themselves are often of working age and should be in paid employment; and (3) the sensitive issue of child safeguarding within family care."

http://engageforeducation.org/2013/05/naomi-eisendtadt-blog-impressions-of-early-years-strategy-in-scotland/