Young people support family diversity

Young people participating in the recent HeadsUp (www.headsup.org.uk) online forum It’s a Family Affair! What Is the Place of Family in Society? were adamant in their support for the quality of parenting they receive. They identified several reasons behind what keeps families together and also what drives them apart. Many were speaking from first-hand experience.

Key questions in the debate

• What makes up a family? Does every family need a father/mother figure plus 2.4 children to function?
• What elements help keep a family together – children, love, commitment, money?
• What role should parents play in the upbringing of their children, and what role should the state play? What role should parents play in their children’s education?
• What causes families to breakdown? Can anything be done to address this breakdown?

Four main conclusions
Students were asked what constituted a family. The majority decided that the diversity and uniqueness of each family were attributes which should be championed and not something to be ashamed of because they don’t meet outdated stereotypes. Importantly, families were also acknowledged as providing a support network where members can share both good and bad news.

When analysing the factors which keep families together, young people offered a whole host of contributing factors. There was widespread agreement that strong buzzwords such as love, respect and support can all help provide the glue which keeps families together. Some astute participants noted that families built solely on money are very weak and don’t have a long-term future.

Consideration of what role parents and the state could play in the upbringing of children was invited. The majority believed that their parent(s) were doing a fantastic job under some very testing circumstances. Many concurred that their parents made sound decisions when selecting a school for their child and often kept them updated/involved throughout this process.

When responding to the sensitive question asking what makes families break down, participants felt that many of the reasons which helped keep families together could just as easily be flipped to contribute to a split. For example, a lack of love, commitment or respect were identified as important factors, plus stress and children. Importantly, everyone was extremely considerate of all opinions as a proportion of participants had experienced family breakdown at first hand.

HeadsUp: in a nutshell
HeadsUp is an online debating platform (managed by the Hansard Society and funded by the House of Commons and the Ministry of Justice, formerly DCA) where young people can develop their political awareness and participation. The site is proving particularly useful in supporting the citizenship curriculum. Submissions from young people have been quoted in House of Commons debates and used to inform government policy.

Which legislators took part in the Family debate?

• Parmjit Dhanda MP –  minister for children and families
• Maria Miller MP –  shadow minister for family welfare
• Annette Brooke MP – Liberal Democrat spokesperson for children and families.

A summary report detailing young people’s contributions and key findings has now been distributed to officials at the relevant government departments, government ministers, MPs, plus a range of youth participation organisations who we work closely with. We ask parliamentarians who took part in the forums to feed back on young people’s opinions, which we then upload on the HeadsUp website for all participants to read and respond to.

From those in the know…
The quotes below come from members of HeadsUp’s three main target audiences – namely parliamentarians, teachers and young people.

‘I am delighted to have got involved with the HeadsUp discussion boards. HeadsUp gives young people around the country an excellent resource which is not only informative, but encourages active debate. As an MP used to the Punch and Judy debates in the House of Commons, it was particularly refreshing to take part in a discussion where people had not already made up their minds!
Nick Clegg MP, shadow home secretary

‘I think that HeadsUp is a unique opportunity for teenagers at the moment. There is very little debating or work on current affairs in schools, and although there are some schemes and competitions involving debating in person these opportunities are limited to teenagers living in certain areas. Another good thing about debating on the internet is responses are written, and participants have time to think about what they write. Many less confident teenagers can take part, whereas they may be afraid to participate in a real-life debate. It’s also the first time most people will have a chance to talk with politicians, and their presence on the forums is quite exciting.’
Rachael Harrington, HeadsUp participant

‘The HeadsUp website is useful in the classroom because the issues reflect not just the business of parliament but also the concerns of young people... my students have been involved in two debates: ASBOs and the recent one on the criminal justice system. Students responded very positively and enjoyed the sense that their voice was being heard by someone with influence.
Alan Hunt, assistant head of sixth form and post-16 citizenship coordinator
Eastbury School, Barking

Further information
HeadsUp www.headsup.org.uk
Hansard Society www.hansardsociety.org.uk

Barry Griffiths is manager of HeadsUp

First published in Learning for Life, June 2007