Fathers' Involvement Must Start Early - Brooke

12.00.00am GMT Tue 27th Feb 2007

It is important for fathers to get involved early on in a child's life

Commenting on Alan Johnson's speech on government policy towards families, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Family , Annette Brooke MP said:

"The Tory approach of special tax relief for marriage is nonsense.

"Financial bribes will not guarantee that children grow up in a stable loving family relationship.

"It is curious it takes a deputy leadership race for a senior ministers to air these views. We have long argued that strong loving relationships are important within the family, whatever its form.

"In the majority of cases, fathers' involvement must start pre-birth, with both parents ideally attending pre-natal classes together. Both parents need to share the care of their children in the early years so that real long and lasting bonds are formed. School parents' evenings with fathers is a good idea but we need far more father involvement at earlier stages for that to be a meaningful exercise."