§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list the schools which(a) he has visited and (b) plans to visit which have parent education programmes to develop relationship skills and improve children's behaviour and achievements in the classroom; and if he will make a statement; [52739]
(2) if he will list the parent education programmes receiving Government financial support and the amounts of the awards since 1 May 1997; [52740]
(3) what funding priority is given to supporting parent education programmes that have been established for four years or more; [52741]
(4) what assessment he has made of the value of extending parent education to (a) all families and (b) families with recognised difficulties. [52745]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answers 28 July 1998]: In the Education White Paper "Excellence in schools" (Cm 3681), my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State emphasises the important role parents have in helping their children learn. There are many exemplary local projects aimed at developing parenting skills and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is always eager to learn about these whenever he visits schools.
Since May 1997, the Department has contributed some £84,000 to the Community Education and Development Centre Share project which supports parents in helping their children at home with early reading, writing and maths. In addition, we are funding a joint National Stepfamily Association/Parentline project to provide training courses for their helpers on ways in which parents and the wider extended family can support and promote children's learning.
The Government are also committed to extending the Family Literacy Initiative and are giving £4 million to support it in this financial year. This Initiative enables parents and their children to learn literacy skills in small, intensive courses run in co-operation with local schools. There are currently 600 courses in 126 LEAs reaching around 6,000 parents and their children. An independent 813W evaluation by the National Foundation for Educational Research has shown the Initiative to be effective in assisting both children and parents to improve their literacy skills.
The Sure Start programme, announced on 15 July by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, will include the provision of parent education, among other services, to all families in areas of deprivation. Some of the pilot phase of Early Excellence Centres also offers parent education.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State will be closely involved in the establishment of the new Family and Parenting Institute announced on 23 July by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. This Institute will be funded by Government to increase the profile of parenting and encourage the development of support for all parents.