Bridget Phillipson: Have More Children
Article in The Guardian, 30th June 2025
We are delighted to hear that Bridget Phillipson MP (Secretary of State for Education, and Minister for Women and Equalities) is focusing on fertility and that she wants to encourage people to have children.
We are also very pleased that she wants to promote choice for families. However, we do not think more free childcare is the answer. It ignores the fact that many people do not want to have children only to hand them almost immediately over to professional care, limiting family life to the weekends.
“We need to address that and that involves thinking about the practical steps that government can take to support people to make the choices that are right for them.”
Phillipson talks of choice: The choice is between not having children at all and having children but rarely seeing them.
Real choice for families could be achieved by making some of the billions of pounds being spent exclusively on childcare available in grants directly for parents, to spend as they wish, be that on formal childcare, a friend or relative or to provide their own care.
That would send a powerful message to prospective parents that the Government sees having and raising children as a valuable contribution to society.
Headline from the Independent (30th June 2025)
Article from The Telegraph, 30th June 2025
MAHM campaigns for:
Childcare subsidy to follow the child with parents allowed to chose whether they use it to stay at home, give it to grandparents, childminder or external setting.
Taxation should fall fairly on those who stay at home and those who work.
Public examination on short and long term needs of children (and the effect on infants of long hours in external settings).
Recognition of value of unpaid care (estimated at £77 billion by Carers UK).
Are you a MAHM member yet?
There are many benefits to being a Mothers At Home Matter member! Your support is invaluable to help us shout louder about fairer taxation for families and acknowledge the choices 21st-century mothers want for their children.