Press Coverage 23rd – 29th June

The Scotsman. Call for clear advice for pregnant women: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/health/Call-for-clearer-advice-for.4209372.jp

The Chronicle. Baby day at local town hall: http://www.chronicleseries.com/page2.asp?PageID=511&SubID=&NewsID=827

Central Somerset Gazette. Glastonbury festival goes baby friendly with help of NCT branch http://www.thisiscentralsomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=213906&command=displayContent&sourceNode=220738&contentPK=20898253

Bounty. NCT Active: http://www.bounty.com/NCT-launch-campaign-network.news/18650380

I C Perthshire. NCT branch 21^st birthday cheeky monkey party: http://icperthshire.icnetwork.co.uk/blairgowrie/tm_headline=monkey-business%26method=full%26objectid=21143660%26siteid=88886-name_page.html

Lincolnshire Echo. Lincoln NCT branch search for top midwife: http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=156130&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242285&home=yes&more_nodeId1=156139&contentPK=20962049

Praise for local winners at NCT Volunteer Awards

June 2008

Praise for local winners at NCT Volunteer Awards

Winners of the first ever NCT Volunteer Awards 2008 sponsored by Pampers, were announced 21^st – 22^nd June during NCT Annual Conference in Coventry. The Awards recognise the hard work, enthusiasm and dedication of volunteers to helping new parents through the NCT.

Over 100 nominations were received for six different categories all recognising and appreciating the work they have done for the NCT and the contribution to supporting local parents in the community.

The NCT has over 4500 registered volunteers who give their time, energy and skills throughout 300 branches nationwide.

The categories recognise the excellent attitudes of local branch volunteers and the winners are:

Bumps & Babies Group of the Year winner – NCT Crawley Branch

Highly Commended: Cornwall branch, North & East Northamptonshire branch, Skipton & District and York branch.

Communication of the Year winner- NCT Chiltern branch

Highly Commended: Southwark & Lambeth branch, Barnsley & Penistone branch and Crawley branch.

Fundraising Success (Large branch – more than 100 members) winner- NCT Croydon branch

Highly Commended: Derby & district branch and Woking branch.

Fundraising Success (Small branch – less than 100 members) winner- Falkirk & West Lothian branch.

Highly Commended: Barnsley & Penistone branch, Stansted & District branch and Chorley & Leyland branch.

Local Campaigner of the Year winner- NCT Petersfield & Liss branch

Highly Commended: Bath & District branch,

Reaching Out winner – NCT North Staffordshire branch

Highly Commended: Edinburgh South branch, Havant & District branch and Hull & East Yorkshire branch.

Ruth Howard, Branch Support Manager at the NCT charity said, “These awards provide an excellent opportunity to highlight examples of hard work and commitment by NCT volunteers in our local branches, whilst hopefully inspiring others to follow their lead.”

The NCT is the UK’s leading charity on pregnancy, birth and early parenthood – we’re with parents all the way from bump to baby. The NCT is a trusted charity that provides expert-led classes, evidence based information and practical and emotional support through 300 UK-wide branch networks and we campaign for better maternity care.

The NCT Volunteers Awards 2008 and NCT Annual Conference 2008 are sponsored by Pampers.

Ends

For more information, please call NCT press office on 020 8752 2404 or email press@nct.org.uk The NCT has ISDN line on 020 8992 6499 compatible for all radio stations – please call press office to arrange an interview.

Notes to Editors

1. The NCT – formerly the National Childbirth Trust – is the UK’s leading charity on pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Every year the charity supports thousands of parents through an incredible life-changing experience, offering relevant information and mutual support through our network of over 300 local branches, UK wide helplines, antenatal and early days courses, breastfeeding counselling and peer support schemes.

2. Operating for over 50 years, the NCT is recognised as the voice of pregnant women and new parents throughout the UK with over 77,000 members. The charity works continuously for improvements to maternity care and better services and facilities for new parents. We are viewed by many as independent experts in matters relating to pregnancy, birth and early parenthood and are an influential and trusted advisor to UK governments, royal colleges, private sector bodies and other charities.

3. For further information visit our website at www.nct.org.uk or call NCT on 0300 330 0770.

Government launches new health profiles for local authorities in England

The profiles use key health indicators to capture a picture of the nation’s health down to local level to help identify local priorities. It provides areas with valuable information to improve their population’s health. This year’s data also includes new information on child health inequalities.

Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said: “Inequalities around the country are stark, but the NHS and local authorities can use these profiles to target local health hotspots with effective measures to make a real difference.” She also said that the Government had renewed their commitment to tackle these issues with the Health Inequalities: Progress and Next Steps report. The report found that obesity amongst reception year children averaged just under 10 per cent with lowest rate in Teesdale at five per cent and the highest in Hackney at 16 per cent.

These profiles are intended to give the NHS, local authorities and other partners an insight into the health of their residents, to enable resources and initiatives to be better targeted

EDM 1886 – Breastfeeding in Public

In response to concerns that the Equality Bill will include legislation allowing women to breastfeed in public places but only until the child is 6 months old, Sir Nicholas Winterton laid down the following EDM (1886):

That this House recognises the clear health benefits of breastfeeding; welcomes reports that legislative proposals on rights for women to breastfeed in public may be brought forward later in 2008; is concerned by reports that this right may only extend to the first six months of a child’s life; and therefore calls on the Government to support calls by the Royal College of Midwives for it to bring forward proposals that give mothers the legal right to breastfeed in public, with no time limit on that right.

Harriet Harman announces Equality Bill

Equalities minister Harriet Harman said measures in the Equality Bill “represent a radical shift in our approach to fighting unfairness and breathes fresh life into our equality agenda”.

The proposed Bill is due later this year and will be adopted in England, Wales and Scotland. The plans would also bring together all previous discrimination law into a single piece of legislation which she said would cut red tape for business. It is expected that the bill will give women the right to breastfeed in public places.

Prior to the debate on the Bill, David Kidney MP requested more information on the bill to better inform the debate on issues such as outlawing age discrimination and enabling mothers to breastfeed their babies in public. Harriet Harman confirmed that the Government intended to make it clear in the Bill that it is not acceptable for women who are breastfeeding their babies to be shooed out of restaurants, public galleries or other public places. She also said that it was important that the Government encourage and support women who are breastfeeding their children, so the law should make it clear that it is not possible to exclude a woman on that basis.

Other measures included in the Bill include allowing firms to choose a woman over a man of equal ability or vice versa and forcing public sector employers to disclose the gender pay gap in their organisation.

Harman also raised concerns over homophobic bullying and ageism, and pointed out that men working full-time still earned 40 per cent more per hour than women working part-time.

She said that disabled people were 2.5 times more likely to be out of work, with black or Asian people earning below the level of their qualifications. Harman also said the government would extend permission for all women shortlists for parliamentary representation to 2030 to continue women’s representation in the House.

Government unveils package of new pilot measures to tackle child poverty

A new package of measures to tackle child poverty and increase social mobility, including plans for a new £200 Child Development Grant, have been unveiled by Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell.

The pilot measures form part of a wider Government drive to ‘unleash a new wave of social mobility’ and will build on already successful measures such as offering new services in children’s centres and testing new approaches to improving family income. The new measures aim to put some of the poorest children on the path to success, delivering prosperity and fairness for hard-working families that play by the rules and breaking cycles of poverty once and for all.

Proposals include:

* Up to £10m will be invested in incentives to help parents in London, in particular mums, to overcome constraints to returning to work, for example by helping them to overcome the high childcare and transport costs which act as particular barriers in the capital;

* Funding will be made available to extend the London Childcare Affordability pilots and find new ways of making childcare more affordable for these families so that parents can enter work;

* £7.6m for 30 Children’s Centres across 10 Local Authorities to offer enhanced work-focused services, helping parents with training and work experience to boost their confidence, skills and support them to enter and progress in work;

* The current In-Work Credit pilots will be expanded to provide financial incentives for both parents to move into work as well as providing tailored work-related support. Over £5m will be available for this pilot;

* Improved supported accommodation for teenage mothers by providing additional services to improve the health and development of their children, improve their parenting skills and support them with learning. Pilots are expected to begin in early 2009;

* At least £20m will be available through grants to local authorities to develop new and innovative approaches to tackle the causes and consequences of child poverty. The pilot areas will include remote rural areas, pockets of deprivation in otherwise affluent areas as well as deprived communities in inner cities. They will test out new approaches to support groups at particularly high risk of living in poverty including disabled children, Black and Minority ethnic and White working class families.

Depending on the success of the pilots in the first two years, there may be scope to extend or introduce additional pilots in year 3.

Get Active and Get Campaigning with NCT

Get Active & Get Campaigning with the NCT

The NCT is urging all those who are interested in campaigning on issues surrounding pregnancy, birth and early parenthood to join up to ‘NCT Active’, the NCT’s activist’s network.

Whether you want to improve services for parents in your local area or support NCT’s national campaigns, whether you have a lot or a little time to dedicate to campaigning

– NCT Active is the network for you. Maybe your local maternity unit is threatened with closure, you’ve had poor postnatal care or there’s a lack of breastfeeding facilities in your community and you want to campaign to change things for the better.

By becoming a member of NCT Active, you can join a network of hundreds of other activists who are all committed to achieving positive change for parents on a national and local scale.

NCT Active will keep you up to date with all the NCT’s campaigning news; provide you with a range of different campaigning actions you can get involved in, from email based campaigning to tips and opportunities for group activities and lobbying work. In addition you will have access to all the practical tools you need to carry out effective campaigning work.

Nina Monksfield from Bexley says; “When changes to my local maternity services were announced, it was helpful to know there was somewhere to go for advice and support and to the best action to take. There’s lots of information that I didn’t even know existed to help me to fight for the best possible outcome for women locally.”

This year alone NCT:-

• Has saved four maternity units previously under threat of closure
• Engaged with hundreds of businesses to ensure that breastfeeding mothers are welcome to breastfeed when out and about with their babies
• Has worked with the four UK country governments to introduce tighter restrictions on the advertising of formula milks – to ensure that all parents can access clear, safe information about baby feeding
• Will coordinate the presentation of awards to maternity services in England that provide excellent standards of care to parents and parents-to-be.

Anne Fox, NCT Campaigns Manager says; “Every year, the NCT works with hundreds of supporters to campaign on issues that matter to parents during pregnancy, birth and the transition to parenthood. By becoming a member of NCT Active, we can support you to make a difference on issues that matter to you. It’s not just NCT members who can join – partners, grandparents, friends and colleagues can all join too.

“NCT Active provides the central point through which we can keep in touch with and support you to influence local and national government as well as health and social care providers.”

“Everyone is welcome to join NCT Active, regardless of their previous campaigning experience and the time they have to dedicate to campaigning for change”.

NCT members and supporters are currently working across the UK for improvements on a range of issues, from birth environments and breastfeeding to child poverty and inequalities.

Registering to join NCT Active is easy – visit www.nct.org.uk/active and fill in your details online. You are just a few clicks away from having everything you need to start making a positive difference for parents at your fingertips.

For more information on NCT Active or how to get involved in any area of the NCT’s campaigning work visit www.nct.org.uk/support-us/get-involved/campaign or email: campaigns@nct.org.uk

The NCT is the UK’s leading charity on pregnancy, birth and early parenthood – we’re with parents all the way from bump to baby. The NCT is a trusted charity that provides expert-led classes, evidence based information and practical and emotional support through 300 UK-wide branch networks and we campaign for better maternity care.

ENDS

For more information, please call NCT press office on 020 8752 2404 or email press@nct.org.uk

The NCT has ISDN line on 020 8992 6499 compatible for all radio stations – please call press office to arrange an interview.

Notes to Editors

1. The NCT – formerly the National Childbirth Trust – is the UK’s leading charity on pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Every year the charity supports thousands of parents through an incredible life-changing experience, offering relevant information and mutual support through our network of over 300 local branches, UK wide helplines, antenatal and early days courses, breastfeeding counselling and peer support schemes.

2. Operating for over 50 years, the NCT is recognised as the voice of pregnant women and new parents throughout the UK with over 77,000 members. The charity works continuously for improvements to maternity care and better services and facilities for new parents. We are viewed by many as independent experts in matters relating to pregnancy, birth and early parenthood and are an influential and trusted advisor to UK governments, royal colleges, private sector bodies and other charities.

3. For further information visit our website at www.nct.org.uk or call NCT on 0300 330 0770.

Press Coverage 16th – 22nd June

Bounty. Dads dozing off as not taking advantage of paternity leave. NCT e-dads group mentioned: http://www.bounty.com/Driving-dads-dozing-off.news/18635186

Kiddicare.com. NCT E-dads group: http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/newsarticle0_62313_10751_-1_10001

Mirror. Legal right to breastfeed in public: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2008/06/16/mums-win-the-legal-right-to-breastfeed-anywhere-89520-20609029/

Guardian. NCT Nearly New Sales: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/jun/18/familyfinance.familyandrelationships

Bounty. Late potty training, Heather Welford quoted: http://www.bounty.com/Late-potty-training-leading-to-infection.news/18641594

Press Coverage June 9th – 15th

Bounty. NCT e-Dads group helps new dads deal with new lifestyle as parent: http://www.bounty.com/Driving-dads-dozing-off.news/18635186

Halifax Courier. Local NCT Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party a success: http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Cheeky-fun-for-all-at.4184045.jp

Money Saving Expert. 10% off NCT Sales products. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=972807

Wimbledon Guardian. NCT trained tutor on hand in car park as mother gives birth: http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.2333699.0.birthing_tutor_turns_theory_into_practice.php

Department for Work and Pensions publishes report showing a rise in child poverty

This week saw the publication of the nineteenth edition of the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. This report presents information on potential living standards as determined by disposable income in 2006/07, changes in income patterns over time and income mobility. The statistics cover the UK income distribution in 2006/07, including the latest figures for the number and percentage of children, pensioners and working-age people in the UK living in relative and absolute poverty.

The figures show that whilst the vast majority of people are better off than they were ten years ago, with record numbers of people in work:

• The number of children in the UK experiencing low income and material deprivation – those who can’t afford basic things such as sending their kids on a school trip – fell by 100,000 between 2005/06 and 2006/07.
• The number of children in relative poverty rose by 100,000, both before and after housing costs are taken into account, to 2.9million (BHC) and 3.9million (AHC) respectively between 2005/06 and 2006/07. Between 1998/99 and 2006/07 the number of children in relative poverty has fallen by 600,000 (BHC) and 500,000 (AHC).

Jamie Hepburn MSP has tabled a motion on Unacceptable Levels of Poverty in Scotland. The motion states:

That the Parliament notes with concern the Office for National Statistics publication, Scottish Households Below Average Income 2006-07, which shows some 17% of households in Scotland and 21% of children are living in relative poverty, with 12% of children living in absolute poverty; believes that these figures are morally unacceptable and represent a failure of successive UK governments to take poverty in Scotland seriously, and further believes that the Parliament and Scottish Government need the normal powers of independence, including powers over the welfare and taxation system, in order to tackle poverty in Scotland.

Plaid Cymru MP, Hywel Williams, also responded to the publication by expressing his concern that UK child poverty targets will not be met without a fundamental change of policy by UK Government. Mr Williams stated that ‘These figures are extremely disheartening, and clearly show that the issue of Child Poverty will not be solved in Wales unless there is a drastic change in UK Government policy. Indeed, the figures clearly show that Wales has the highest or amongst the highest levels of poverty throughout the UK. What is clear from today’s report is that more needs to be done to help these families who are suffering the most.’