Parenting across Scotland commissioned an Ipsos MORI poll to ask
parents' views on key parenting issues. We asked about:
- advice
and support in bringing up children
- childcare and pre-school education
- finances
- experiences of going to the doctor
- relationships
- future support needs
Advice and support
We asked parents how they preferred to get information:
- almost half of parents (49%) said via an internet
website
- just over one in five (21%) said via booklets and leaflets
- 16% said local discussion or support groups
- 10% said telephone helplines (10%)
- 3% said CDs and DVDs.
Use of the internet as a source of parenting information is
increasing every year, and is most prevalent in the early
years.
Childcare
75% relied on an informal network of family and friends
27% used formal childcare arrangements
Families affected by disability and one parent families were
much more likely to use informal childcare. Parents rely heavily on
grandparents for childcare, with 32% of parents using them as their
main source of childcare.
Finances
The recession is hitting families hard. Nearly half (45%) are
finding it harder to pay their bills than they were a year ago,
with the figure rising to 55% of lone parents, and 64% of families
affected by disability.
Strain on relationships
Parents told us that the top stresses on relationships were money, work
and children's behaviour.
Going to the doctor
Parents were overwhelmingly positive about their experience of
going to the doctor with their child. They felt that their
doctor was good at listening to and communicating with their child.
Very few parents had asked their doctor for parenting advice but
those who did, had found their doctor helpful.
What do parents want?
Parents wanted:
- more activities and clubs for children
- more parenting advice
- more childcare provision, and
- more facilities for children to play.
