Question of the Week

Do we need a national parenting helpline based on NHS Direct?

This idea has been around for years and it has once again reared its head in the latest government green paper on the family.

We’d like to know what you think. Is parenting really like an illness? Do we need a national helpline for parents to call or would it be more sensible to improve existing services like increasing the number of midwives in hospitals and in the community so that they have time to answer questions when they arise.

Maybe a helpline would be a useful way to signpost services. A number to call to find out who it is that should be able to help you with that sleep problem/eating problem/school choice etc. The trouble is, as anyone who has ever phoned NHS direct will know, the advise they give is often so general it isn’t all that helpful. And if you call about a child’s medical emergency the advise usually seems to be to head straight to A&E.

Could a parenting helpline actually provide the solutions to the problems that give parents sleepless nights when often the reality is that those problems are transitory. Just when you have finally sorted out the sleep problem/hating school/ not eating vegetables they have grown into their next set of challenges. And if the problem is a really serious problem - anorexia/self harm/failure to thrive - a helpline can’t do much more than tell you where to go for help and there are already lots of places that can do that if there was enough funding available to actually tell people they existed.

Do we sound cynical? Perhaps, but that is why we would like to hear from other people. Tell us what you think to the idea to a national parenting helpline based on NHS Direct. The budget for NHS Direct is 139 million. That equates to around £25.00 for every call that is made to it. Would you invest a similar amount into a parenting helpline or would you suggest an alternative way to spend that money? Let us know. We’ve opened a discussion thread under parents and professionals. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.