New parents need a dedicated recovery strategy

The Petitions Committee has called on the government to publish a dedicated coronavirus recovery strategy for new parents.

In light of the pandemic’s ongoing impact on new parents, as set out in the committee’s new report, and the need for a sustained focus from the government to support this group, MPs recommend that ministers should publish a dedicated coronavirus recovery strategy for new parents, bringing together all government actions to support this group, with a clear delivery plan.

MPs are also urging the government to provide additional funding and resources to allow catch-up mental health support for new parents impacted by the pandemic, and accelerate planned capacity-building in perinatal mental health services. Additionally, the committee recommends that Westminster fund local authorities in order to arrange in-person visits to new parents by the appropriate local authority, voluntary organisation, or health visiting staff by the end of the year.

Catherine McKinnell, chair of the Petitions Committee, said: “It is extremely concerning that over a year after the publication of the committee’s first report on this subject, there has been little or no progress on the overwhelming majority of our recommendations. The government has offered no ‘catch-up’ funding to help new parents access support services disrupted during the pandemic, and no targeted funding to provide extra mental health support specifically for new parents. It has also failed to deliver the extension of redundancy protections for new parents it promised in its response to our report last year.

“Although the government’s plans for long-term capacity-building in areas such as perinatal mental health and children’s development in the first 1001 days are positive, these do not go far enough to address the immediate needs of new parents or their children. We have continued to receive petitions highlighting the difficulties new parents, and the services they rely on during the vital early months of their child’s life, have continued to face over the last year. It is clear that the impact of the pandemic is still being felt.

“The government must now reconsider its response and urgently take action to put in place support. It has been incredibly valuable to hear from petitioners and experts on this subject, and the committee will continue to challenge the government to bring forward the changes we have concluded need to be made.”