Monday 29th December 2008, 14:35Speaking at the House of LordsSounds a bit grand but I had a lovely opportunity to speak at one of the private rooms in the House of Lords just before Christmas. I was contrasting UK and Israeli welfare reforms given that both countries are undertaking their own review of policy direction and implementation. James Purnell and David Blunkett were speaking, so it was an interesting reflection of where UK welfare policy has come from and is moving to. I was pulling out similarities and differences from our experience in both countries.
There were some really good questions. As ever, the crucial role of the personal adviser came to the fore, especially the importance of them having resonance with the clients and communities in which they work. The role of the third sector was also a discussion point and this reinforced the fact that with the hardest to help clients, it always requires a blend of third, public and private sector organizations bringing their expertise and skills to bear.
There were also a number of queries about the different approaches to conditionality – mandatory participation – in welfare programmes. Often, this has a lot to do with the culture and ethos of the supplier. In Israel for example, the pilot operator in Nazareth has taken a lot of criticism for the way it works with mothers of large families in the Arab and Ultra-Orthodox community. By contrast, possibly because we spend a significant amount on childcare support, (which in Israel is very well structured) the female Arab and Ultra Orthodox clients we have worked with in Jerusalem have been able to develop some wonderful employment opportunities and enterprising businesses. We invest a significant amount of time and money in childcare and broader support for our clients.
There was a clear link in the questions to lone parents and how they will be supported under the new proposals set out in the White Paper in the UK. There is a strong emphasis on service suppliers working appropriately and sensibly. Tackling working poverty, eradicating child poverty, helping people become aware of the support they can access and using this to find sustainable work - all sit at the heart of the reforms. It is important that as a society we implement the reforms effectively, but my experience in the UK and Israel has been that supporting parents and lone parents in a journey back towards employment is the right approach. Even more so in times of recession where we must support and foster their confidence and belief in opportunities that are relevant to them.
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