Parents to have a say on city services

Feb 13 2008 by Katie Bodinger, South Wales Echo

PARENTS will have a say in how support services in the city are run thanks to a new initiative.

Cardiff’s Children and Young People’s partnership commissioned NCH Cymru to set up the Cardiff Parent Network.

It was being launched at a fun family event, today, at the Welsh Institute of Sport. One of the first tasks of the Network was to carry out the largest- ever survey of Cardiff parents.

The survey revealed the top concern for parents is their children’s behaviour, with 82 per cent finding behavioural issues either “very hard” or “a bit hard” to deal with.

The next most concerning issues were child safety, at 75 per cent, and money worries – 72 per cent.

Almost a quarter of those surveyed said that they would not know where to go for help in tackling these issues.

NCH Cymru’s Parent Network Co-ordinator Jackie Eggington said: “Cardiff Parent Network is all about giving local parents a voice, letting them set the agenda to raise the issues that concern them most.”

Councillor John Dixon, Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, said: “Supporting parents helps improve children’s future opportunities.”