Her audience will be listening intently for clues on how the coalition Government will meet the colossal challenge it has set for itself. An ambitious programme for families has been announced. But here's the catch - it has to be delivered at a time of extensive spending cuts.
Ms Teather has given reassurances on protecting the likes of Sure Start in this magazine. But in the coming months, state services will need to operate on less at the same time that a cold economic climate produces more need for those very services. And this is bound to take its toll on families. After all, the child trust fund and child tax credits have already been slashed.
How, then, will this coalition deliver its pledge to make Britain a family-friendly society? The FPI has decided it is time to audit how family-friendly the UK actually is.
So, in a fitting move for exam season, we have published a Family Friendly Report Card.The card highlights what has gone right in terms of family policy in the UK in recent years. For example, we have awarded the UK a B grade for work/life balance. A cultural change is taking place in favour of flexible working. Our relationships with our partners, our parents and our children are benefiting. Nursery workers know this as they increasingly see working parents able to reach the nursery gates themselves.
But the Report Card also highlights the most stubborn obstacles we have to surmount before we can truly call Britain a family-friendly society.
The country wins a mere 'C minus' grade on confronting child and pensioner poverty, and scores a D grade on the cost of raising a child. It was estimated earlier this year that it costs £200,000 for a British parent to raise a child from birth to the age of 21. The new coalition's declaration of support for free nursery care is a small step towards ensuring that parenthood does not cause poverty in a future Britain. But currently, the judgement is 'must try harder' for the UK on family policy.
Full details of the conference findings are published on www.familyandparenting.org.
