Watch.

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 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.