May 2012 - Marriage Foundation

How best to support new parents

The Prime Minister’s support plan for new parents won’t work. Here’s how to make it do so. By Harry Benson, Communications Director of the Marriage Foundation and author of Let’s Stick

Extensive publicity for launch of Marriage Foundation

Articles in many national newspapers and interviews of radio and TV surrounded the launch of the Marriage Foundation. Check out our ever-growing list of press articles and TV and radio

MF launch on radio and TV

TV on This Morning Harry went head to head with Denise Robertson. MONDAY 30 April 0910 BBC London The Vanessa Feltz Show 1010 BBC West Midland 1040 BBC Newcastle

Family breakdown costs £50bn a year

Family breakdown costs the UK an estimated £50 billion every year — most of which is spent supporting families who move from one to two households when relationships end. Beyond the financial cost, the social and emotional toll on children can be lifelong.

UK Among highest family breakdown in Europe

The UK continues to experience some of the highest levels of family breakdown in Europe. While divorce rates have declined, this improvement has not been matched among cohabiting couples, who remain significantly more likely to separate.

Lower Divorce Rates – Higher Lone Parents

Divorce rates have fallen dramatically over the past three decades. Yet over the same period, the number of lone-parent families has doubled — because couples who live together without marrying or forming a civil partnership are three times more likely to separate than those who do.

Formal commitment is strongly associated with family stability

Stability remains the norm when parents are married or in a civil partnership — around

75% stay together as their children grow up, compared with 30% of cohabiting parents. The act of formal commitment changes how couples think and behave about their relationship, creating a foundation that is more likely to endure.

The parents’ relationship plays a vital role in children’s development

The single most important factor in a child’s healthy development is the stability of their parents’ relationship. Our research consistently shows that family breakdown is the strongest predictor of teenage mental health problems — and that formal commitment through marriage or civil partnership offers the best protection against this instability.

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How best to support new parents

Extensive publicity for launch of Marriage Foundation

MF launch on radio and TV

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