Watch.

Seminar: Motherhood — An International Perspective

Join representatives of international organisations including Make Mothers Matter and the European Federation of Parents and Carers as they share about their local challenges and how we can work together and learn from each other. We also hear from Roxana Tigelaar who is looking to set up a MAHM group in the Netherlands.

Valerie Bichelmeier Vice-President & Main Representative at the United Nations in Geneva;

Madeleine Wallin FEFAF General Secretary, Permanent Representative UN-NY

Roxana Tigelaar MAHM representative in the Netherlands

Part one of the afternoon session

We convened this conference on the 21st February 2025 under the umbrella of FEFAF (a body of different groups led by mothers around Europe fighting for the value of care) and the London-based think-tank Civitas to challenge policymakers and ask the awkward questions.

• What are the needs of infants and children in their earliest years? 

• Does public policy align with their needs? 

• Is this the direction we wish to be heading?

We could not record the morning session (held in the House of Lords). The afternoon session was hosted by Civitas.

Part two of the afternoon session

We convened this conference on the 21st February 2025 under the umbrella of FEFAF (a body of different groups led by mothers around Europe fighting for the value of care) and the London-based think-tank Civitas to challenge policymakers and ask the awkward questions.

• What are the needs of infants and children in their earliest years? 

• Does public policy align with their needs? 

• Is this the direction we wish to be heading?

We could not record the morning session (held in the House of Lords). The afternoon session was hosted by Civitas.

Q&As with guest speaker, Professor James Heckman

We convened this conference on the 21st February 2025 under the umbrella of FEFAF (a body of different groups led by mothers around Europe fighting for the value of care) and the London-based think-tank Civitas to challenge policymakers and ask the awkward questions.

• What are the needs of infants and children in their earliest years? 

• Does public policy align with their needs? 

• Is this the direction we wish to be heading?

We could not record the morning session (held in the House of Lords). The afternoon session was hosted by Civitas.

Our first speaker this year is David Goodhart — a prominent figure in public debate in the UK, a well-known broadcaster, author, commentator and journalist and a commissioner on the Equality & Human Rights Commission. David kicks off our conference, unpacking our theme: Save the Choice to Care.

The Other Half’s Early Years Research Lead, Eliie Vivian is a mum of one and is completing a PhD in Philosophy, Theology and Religion. Ellie shares findings from their recent report What Do Mums Want in the Early Years, where they surveyed 582 mums and conducted interviews with 23. The overwhelming response was that mums wanted family-friendly work, more parenting time with young children, an economy that allows for care, and a village of support.

Panel Questions & Answers

This is the chance for our online and in-person attendees to pose their questions to our panel of speakers.

Maggie Gordon-Walker shares about her organisation, Mothers Uncovered.

Anne Fennell, MAHM Chair, shares her experience of attending the Labour Conference and other events across the country and abroad.

Madeleine Wallin is the General Secretary of the European Federation of Parents and Caregivers at Home (FEFAF) as well as the International Coordinator and Board Member for Haro: she previously served as President of both organizations. In her work at FEFAF and Haro, she advocates freedom of choice and equality for parents in Swedish family politics and wants to raise awareness about children's needs and the importance of motherhood. She shares about the different childcare models across the Nordic countries.

James Heckman, Nobel Prize Winner and American Economist & Alison Baulos, Executive Director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development. We shared a video message from them both at our conference, and followed up with a Q&A session via Zoom.

A chance to hear what MAHM volunteers have been up to over the past year. Includes our AGM and updates on local campaigning and support (local groups and conference team)

Welcome and Keynote Our keynote speaker this year is Kate Silverton— journalist, broadcaster. bestselling author and child therapist. Kate shares her thoughts on the themes of loss of identity in motherhood, how to handle the juggle and the struggle, and why the first few years are so crucial for future proofing our children’s mental health.

The Joy of Teenagers What is the intentional, forward-thinking approach to adopt with our teenagers? Liz Yeboah — educator, mentor, wife, and mother to five wonderful children — the deep-rooted stereotypes of the teen years and how to make the most of the teen years.

Women as Mothers — Dr Carole Ulanowsky(Cert Ed. Dip.FE. M.Ed. PhD) shares some of her PhD research: Women as Mothers – Changing Role Perceptions: An Inter-generational Study. Most of Dr Ulanowsky’s research and writing has had a focus on children, especially babies, and their development.

She has been involved in the work of What about the Children, an organisation who promote better public understanding about the importance of the emotional needs of children in their first three years.

Panel Questions & Answers

Sarah Douglas-Pennant, Honorary President

Updates and AGM A chance to hear what MAHM volunteers have been up to over the past year. Includes our AGM and updates on:

Campaigning (both grassroots and national levels)
Communications (website, social media, newsletter updates)
Support (local groups and conference team)
Policy and Research (our latest research on the impact of childcare)

Motherhood and Politics MAHM Chair Anne Fennell is joined by special guests to explore how Government policies could be more family-friendly.

Speakers include:
Leonard Beighton, Tax and the Family
Cristina Odone, Centre for Social Justice
Liz Jewkes, Lib Dem Federal Policy Board

Our Chair, Anne Fennell, opened our annual conference and then MAHM team members presented summaries of this year’s work for the AGM before Erica Komisar gave the keynote presentation about the importance of emotionally healthy and present mothers in raising resilient children.

‘Resilience, or the ability to cope with the unknown, is not something we are born with, rather it is something we learn from being given a foundation of emotional security through the consistent presence of our caregivers throughout our childhood.’

Erica Komisar is a psychoanalyst, parent coach and author from New York. Her latest book, Chicken Little, the Sky isn’t Falling, was reviewed in our Autumn 2022 newsletter — sent biannually to MAHM members — by Maria Lyons. Read the review here online.

Our Chair, Anne Fennell, opened our annual conference and then we heard from Miriam Cates MP. This is followed by a roundup of this year’s work during our AGM.

Politics, it is said, is the art of the possible. Miriam addresses Mothers at Home Matter on what is possible to achieve at Westminster; how we can change the nature of the debate and effect real change both economically and socially. Miriam, a mother of three, was herself a stay-at-home mother until entering Parliament as MP for Penistone & Stocksbridge at the 2019 election.

Are you aware of the wide range of valuable personal skills that you are developing whilst raising a family? Often these skills aren’t fully recognised, but being more aware of them can help you to return at any time to the paid workplace with more confidence. Whether you are just starting or finishing looking after family full-time, Ronnie Cloke-Browne explains more.

Come and hear more about our fantastic local support groups and how this year many have gone from meeting online to meeting face to face! From coffee dates, playdates, park meets, walks in the woods and mum dinners - our groups have lots of fun.

We hear from group leaders and group members about why they think the groups are such a great place to make friends and get support as a mum at home. We want to welcome all mums, whether you're at home full time or part time, it's about meeting like-minded mums who share the same values.

Government 'family friendly' policies for the last couple of decades have focussed on getting mothers back into work and extending childcare. But are these really family friendly? Do they consider the needs of the child? What policies should we be focussing on to help parents who wish to stay at home to care themselves and how can MAHM be most effective? Anne Fennell chairs this discussion which includes the unfairness of the UK’s taxation system.