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Why is the study important?
The main aim of the study is to look at what impact Government policies
have on important things like health, income and the wellbeing of
children. The results from the study help departments across the
Government to;
- Be aware of the important issues facing families
in Britain today;
- To develop policies which will work to address
these issues; and
- Check that policies are working well and, if
not, how they can be changed for the better.
A number of different Government departments are
using the findings from the study, including the Department for Work
and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs (formerly known as Inland Revenue), Department for Children Schools and Families (formerly known as Department for Education and Skills),
Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), the Department for Transport and the Sure Start Unit.
The study has changed a lot since it began in 1999. We are including
more families living in different circumstances so we get a representative
picture of all families in Britain and we are also including more
questions of importance to families for example about childcare
and child well-being.
Many different departments use the study, in different ways. The
departments which use the information include….
Making Sure Your Views Count
Focus on… The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
The Department for Work and Pensions has set itself a number
of key goals and through the Families and Children Study (and
with your help) we can help to ensure that these goals are achieved.
Among these goals are…
Eradicating child poverty in a generation, halving it in
ten years - The Families and Children Study gives us data
on how well we are doing towards this goal and gives us information
on the causes of child poverty and where the main problems are.
Full employment, so that everybody who can work has the
opportunity to do so - We collect information so that we
can identify what helps and what hinders people from finding
work and through this, improve the situation for unemployed
people. The Government is also trying to ensure that people
are better off in work than out of it - for example, through
the payment of Working Tax Credit to low-income people in work.
Through the Families and Children Study, the success of this
policy and the number of families who benefit from it, can be
monitored.
Providing security for those who are unable to work -
For many people work is not an option and it is important that
this does not lead to hardship. The Families and Children Study
provides us with data on how this group is getting along so
that the Government can take action to help vulnerable people
avoid falling into poverty.
Targeting help to the areas facing the greatest problems,
so we tackle the root causes of poverty and exclusion -
It is well known that people's well being can depend upon the
area in which they live. The Families and Children Study gives
us reliable data on where support is most needed. For example,
the Sure Start initiative - which is designed to help children
get the best start in life - will be using FACS data to look
- specifically - at areas which are in most need of improved
local services.
You can find more about DWP at www.dwp.gov.uk
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Making Sure Your Views Count
Focus on Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)(formerly known as Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, ODPM) and the
Department for Transport (DfT)
DCLG and DfT look after a number of different areas of life
including transport, housing and local services. The Families
and Children Study provides the Departments with a range of
information such as useful data; on the kinds of transport different
people use to help them look at ways of cutting traffic congestion;
on housing - to eradicate the poorest types of housing; and
on problems people face in their local area - such as crime.
"The Families and Children Study is particularly useful to us
because the people we interview are kind enough to take part
every year. This means we get valuable information on how people's
circumstances change and how this is affected by the features
of the neighbourhood in which they live" DCLG
You can find more about Department for Transport at www.dft.gov.uk
You can find more about Department for Communities and Local Government www.communities.gov.uk/ |
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Making Your Views Count.
Focus on… Sure Start
Sure Start is the Government’s programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support. The Sure Start Unit, an interdepartmental Unit accountable to both the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions, carries out the aims and objectives of the Government programme.
"The Families and Children Study gives us valuable information
about the experiences of families with very young children.
We need this information to ensure that the right services are
being provided for young children, for parents and for the local
community" - Sure Start
You can find more about Sure Start at www.Sure
Start.gov.uk |
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Making Your Views Count.
Focus on… The Department for Children, Schools and Families (formerly the Department for Education and Skills)
The Department for Children, School and Families aims to
- Build a competitive economy and inclusive
society by;
- creating opportunities for everyone to
develop their learning;
- releasing potential in people to make the
most of themselves and achieving excellence in standards
of education and levels of skills.
The Families and Children Study will help
us to develop policy for families, children and young people in relation
to education and childcare.
You can find more about the Department for Children, Schools and Families at www.dcsf.gov.uk
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Making your views count...
Focus on HM Revenue and Customs (formerly Inland Revenue)
HM Revenue and Customs is responsible for the delivery of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit help to support families with children and working people on low incomes. Child Tax Credit supports families with children, and some 16 to 18 year olds. You can claim whether or not you are in work. All families with children, with income of up to £58,000 per year (or up to £66,000 a year if there is a child under one year old) can claim the credit in the same way. Working Tax Credit supports working people (whether employed or self-employed) on low incomes by topping up earnings.
The Families and Children
Study contains a large sample of actual and potential tax
credit recipients, which we can analyse, and track over time.
This gives policy-makers information on how to ensure that
tax credits continue to target the relevant groups in need.
You can find out more about tax credits at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/menus/credits |
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