An impossible bind – single parent families and Universal Credit
It is with considerable frustration that I am adding to the mountain of words written to plead with the Department for Work and Pensions for…
Fran Parry
People regeneration is as important as place regeneration
As I write it is a year since the UK voted by a slim margin to leave the EU; the Conservative government has pledged £1b…
A challenge – grasping opportunity in uncertain times
If we doubted that we lived in “uncertain times” I doubt we doubt that now! So far 2017 has been a year to either stay…
Prioritising the new DWP Secretary of State’s in-tray
DWP has a brand new ministerial team with only Lord Freud staying on from the previous incumbency. New ministers at Minister of State grade for…
Keep calm and seize the initiative…..
Well if we wanted to live in “interesting times” we have them right now by the bucketful – a lame duck government, a non-existent opposition…
The professionalization of the employability sector becomes ever more pressing. It’s time to be brave and radical….
Last week I was asked to respond to a first wave of research findings around welfare conditionality. It’s a fascinating project over several years bringing…
I want to break free…
If, like me, you have worked for some time in the Education, Employment and Skills sector you’ll appreciate the frustration I feel when I see…
Fran Parry reflects on inspirational lessons from the Autistic Gardener
I have really enjoyed watching “The Autistic Gardener” on Channel 4. I picked it up late and intend to catch the rest on 4OD and…
Youth Employment Convention – what next?
One of the more sobering elements of the Youth Employment Convention in London last week was Will Hutton’s exhortation that we should be “very angry”…
Maintaining the new Work Programme momentum
At last, we’re off! The Work Programme is out of the traps. The tenders are won, contracts signed, programme launched and it has all started…