Opinion: Editor's view - Traditional roles

Dr Katherine Rake certainly made an impression with her first major speech as chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, forecasting the end of the 'typical' family as the role of parents changes dramatically in the next decade (see News, page 5).

There was predictable outrage from the right-wing press and the Conservative party, especially as Dr Rake warned against the 'trap' of trying to preserve traditional family structures through Government initiatives. The Tories are planning tax breaks for married couples to encourage the nuclear family set-up.

The picture painted by Dr Rake is of a fluid society, with the nature of what constitutes a family changing as work patterns, marital status, men's involvement and cultural backgrounds all evolve.

This need not be viewed as a 'breakdown' to be averted at all costs. The involvement of the wider family in bringing up children is seen as essential and desirable in many societies - 'it takes a village to raise a child', as the saying goes. The diminished role of the extended family has been viewed as a negative in past decades.

Greater involvement of men with their children - 200 per cent more time 'actively engaged' than in the 1970s - also has the potential to be hugely positive. Dr Rake believes that it is fathers who will lead the coming change in families.

We can accept that parenting has to change - with more women working, men more involved, marriage less the norm and the extended family closely connected - and be supportive rather than judgemental, and help new structures to flourish. Or we can hope, like the Tories, that tax breaks and disapproval will keep couples together and women at home!