Recently, Scottish Labour launched the consultation document, A Positive Start for Every Child, which struck me as fundamentally Labour. And I love it.
LOVES LOVES LOVES...!
OK, so, our great leader, Wendy Alexander, and our fabulous education and children spokesperson, Rhona Brankin, decided that this time in opposition could be used as an opportunity. An opportunity to ask people what they want for their children. Unlike the National Conversation, we haven't concluded before the debate has begun. We intend on listening to the working families of our great nation, who recognise the real freedoms of life are child care and education, and who realise that true independence for people is not in the form of building borders up, but indeed taring them down.
There are several areas the Labour Party are wishing to cover under the umbrella issue of children and families, including safer play areas and wider access to green spaces for our children, in line with the Forestry Commission and children's organisations, nursery places for the most vulnerable two year olds, because under Labour no child will be left behind, and dialogue between schools and parents as to how to ease the transition between nursery and primary school.
There are also more sensitive issues which the consultation is hoping to cover, including respite care for vulnerable families and government funding for carers having short breaks. A Charter of Support for families will be drawn up by families themselves through this consultation, and will create a greater level of understanding between government and carers over what is expected of each.
The people of Scotland will also help a future Labour government in their creation of a network of family learning centres providing childcare, parenting skills, and guidance on parents getting back into work.
An issue which has grasped many families recently across Scotland and the United Kingdom has been that of emotional well being. I have heard it said that there's nothing worse than living with a mental disability, and the second worst thing is living with someone who has a mental disability. A Labour government would be committed to ensuring that emotional well being will play a more prominent role in any health care and education setting, and it will be parents who will make the recommendations on how that should be done.
I am proud to stand by these proposals, as I feel that within this document is so much of what the Labour Party stands for, and it is with much regret that we have been lowered to the level of debate that we have seen in the Scottish Parliament in the last year.
To contribute to A Positive Start for Every Child, please contact children@labourlistening.org.uk
1 comment:
I whole heartedly agree with you, this is a great document, it has tremendous potential to initiate positive change for many disadvantaged and marginalised families. What happens with the results of the consultation will be as insightful as the actual findings. Identifying areas in desperate need of recognition and support is not the same as actually manifesting change to their benefit.
I believe in this process and the intentions that lie behind it. I really want to believe that the Labour party will deliver. Time will tell.
The consultation document has headers stating "Labour listens" and "Labour believes". Well, there are a huge number of disenchanted and floating voters out there who are also listening and who want to believe. They just need something credible to believe in.
Positive action for positive change. That's what is needed. Positive blogging is a good start!
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