Oral Question to the Department of Children, Schools and Families
Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney, North and Stoke Newington) (Lab): Does the Minister agree that if both life skills and parenting skills were taught better to adolescents in deprived areas we would see fewer incidents of child abuse? Given incidents of gross abuse, such as the baby P case, does the Minister agree that it is regrettable that not much more progress has been made on the Laming inquiry recommendation about making senior service managers more accountable? It is surprising to many of us that the director of social services in Haringey has not seen fit to tender her resignation.
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We are well aware that there is an ongoing inquiry and investigation, and at this stage I do not want to comment on that in the House.
It is important that we talk to young people about parenting skills for mothers and fathers. One of the striking testimonies given by the young people in the DVD was that in all but one instance the teenage fathers of the babies did not hang around. All the young women said that it was important that those skills were taught in schools not just to young women but to young men as well.
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