The Relationships Alliance has released its “Relationships Alliance Manifesto 2017”.
The Relationships Alliance is made up of four charities namely Relate, OnePlusOne, Tavistock Relationships and Marriage Care. They explained that their vision is “of a future in which strong and stable couple, family and social relationships are supported as a basis of a thriving society”.
The Relationships Alliance have said they want political parties, when considering their 2017 Manifestos, to consider what they believe to be seven priorities for policies that they would also like to see implemented if the relevant political party was successful in the forthcoming General Election.
The group have pointed to savings that would be made (on the government’s own figures) if relationship counselling was put into place. Further to this, they want “a new comprehensive cross-government relationship strategy, with a Minister for Families and Relationships”
They believe that professionals could assist in preventing relationship breakdown. For example, teachers and mental health professionals, amongst others. Further to this, The Relationships Alliance seeks training for those who they term as “frontline practitioners” about relationships.
It is also asserted that good-quality relationships and sex education is important for young people and therefore assert that needs to be provided by trained experts.
The Relationships Alliance would also like to see a reduction in conflict between parents which, as we know can, often unfortunately and very sadly, occur in the event of a relationship breakdown. Due to this they would like more information and support provided to parents and an emphasis on trying to resolve matters outside of Court by way of other means. This could be by way of mediation or by some other method.
The Relationships Alliance would also like people to be supported, particularly through times of important events such as having a baby together. They believe that investing in “a programme of universal information, self-help and preventative relationship support ” would help.
In addition, they would like the low-income and disadvantaged groups to be provided with affordable (either subsidised or free) relationship support and a fund set aside for that, as well as an increase in the availability of “couple therapy for depression within the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme”.
This may well give the political parties some food for thought.