Tower Hamlets parents pledge to make East End family life better

Mums and dads pledged at a parents’ conference to make a change to improve family life in London’s East End.

Pledges from 150 parents included being more active in the community during the coming school year, talking to neighbours more and even becoming a school governor.

The main speaker at the conference organised by Tower Hamlets Council at the Isis Building in Thames Quay was Dr Sue Black, a campaigner for equality and support for women in technology, who encouraged them to embrace advances in technology.

Other speakers included Tower Hamlets Education director Robert McCulloch-Graham and cabinet member for children and schools Oliur Rahman.

Cllr Rahman told the conference: “Parents have shown they are committed to support children’s learning, despite the challenges in the local authority and education in the last few years.”

Parents, grandparents, foster carers and those living in a women’s refuge also shared their experiences and ideas during workshops on parenting, becoming a parent school governor and internet e-safety.

More than 400 adults have completed parenting courses in the past year run by the authority, while a Dads’ Network has also been set up. The Parent & Carer Council has also gone from strength to strength in just 12 months with up to 50 people at each forum which gives them a voice in how services are run.