Family Education Trust

The new logo of the Family Education Trust which replaced the logo originally developed for Family and Youth Concern (see below) in late 2011 or early 2012.^[1]

Family Education Trust is a conservative moral campaign organisation created in 1971 and at first called the Responsible Society and then Family and Youth Concern.^[2]

Orientation

Conservative connections

The Trust (which from 2000-2011 referred to its former name in brackets as Family Education Trust (Family & Youth Concern)) describes itself as ‘a national educational trust which researches the causes and consequences of family breakdown.’ It claims that it has ‘no political or religious affiliations'. ^[2] However, most commentators disagree. For example, academic researchers describe it variously as one of a number of ‘moralist lobbies’, ^[3] ‘moral crusading organisations’^[4], ‘moral conservative’ or ‘moralist organisations’^[5]^[6]. The Trust can be seen as a strongly conservative organisation, informed by Christian fundamentalist views on the family and sexuality.

Though it is clear that moral conservative views are not confined to a particular political party, further evidence of the strongly conservative nature of the Trust comes from the connections of its staff, trustees and sponsors within the Conservative Party and the Conservative movement more broadly. Connections to the Tory Party include the late Janet Young, the late Diana Elles, Detta O'Cathain and James Graham the 8th Duke of Montrose who sat/sit on the conservative benches in the House of Lords.

Connections to the Conservative movement include:

Dennis O'Keeffe, a longtime 'sponsor' of the Trust, is Professor of Social Science at the private University of Buckingham and also Senior Research Fellow in Education at one of the oldest UK conservative think tanks the Institute of Economic Affairs and was listed as a member of the Academic Advisory council of the Taxpayers Alliance.^[7] He has also been editor of The Salisbury Review^[8] a conservative magazine, which has described itself as 'articulate, discriminating, reactionary, right-wing, judgemental, elitist.'^[9]
Robert Whelan was director of the Family Education Trust for four years (2000-2004) and remains a trustee. He was the Assistant Director of the IEA Health and Welfare Unit, from which the think tank Civitas was created in 2000 - Whelan was its first Deputy director and in 2012 is its editorial director. He is managing director of the New Model School Company, an organisation founded by Civitas in 2003, to encourage private education.^[10]
Brenda Almond was a member of the 'Family Law Review' working group of the Centre for Social Justice^[11] and sits on the Academic Advisory Council of Civitas.^[12]

Religious, specifically Christian, orientation

It has been noted that F&YT, unlike organisations such as CARE or the Conservative Family Campaign, ‘sought to avoid an overtly religious language’.^[13] Nevertheless, the Trust is notably aligned with the Christian faith as are many of the leading moral conservative groupings in the UK. For example:

Trustee Trevor Stammers was Chair of the Christian Medical Fellowship between 2007 and 2009.^[14]
The 'spiritual journey to Rome'^[15] taken by Valerie Riches and Denis Riches was more than simply a personal religious conversion but was carried over into all their work including in Family and Youth Concern and Family Publications. The latter published the 'books, research reports and booklets' or Family and Youth concern and in the 1990s 'imported papal documents and began publishing English editions of new papal documents as they were issued, together with books for the Pontifical Council of the Family, with whom Valerie was working on family issues.'^[16]
Sponsor Detta O'Cathain is also a patron the the Christian Institute a British evangelical Christian pressure group that aims, according to its filings with the Charity Commission, 'to promote Christian influence in a secular world'. ^[17] In 2008 it was reported that she also sponsored a parliamentary pass for the Christian Institute.^[18]
Clifford Hill was amongst the signatories of Westminster 2010 is a declaration intended "to appeal to UK Christians of all denominations who subscribe to the historic Christian faith and who hold orthodox Christian beliefs about life, marriage and conscience."^[19] In 2000 Hill wrote a book for the Family Education Trust.^[20]

Moralism

Moralism or moral politics can be definied in a number of ways. The first is in the dictionary sense: ‘one concerned with regulating the morals of others’. Synonyms include ‘prude’ and ‘puritan’, though naturaly moralists tend not to self identify as such.^[21] The second is in the more political sense of those views that attribute social problems associated with marriage breakdown, single parent families, illicit drug use, the sex industry as moral problems - part of the problem of the 'permissive society' which are susceptible to moral solutions, though these might be enforced by the state. Moralists often oppose solutions to social problems that would reduce harm, save lives, increase population health and or equaty and justice especially if these solutions go against their abstract moral precepts. Moral conservatives often describe their views as encapsulating 'family values' or a defence of the 'traditional family'. Such terms are well known descriptors of the moral conservative outlook.

Thus the Family Education Trust director Norman Wells is morally opposed to homosexuality. In a press release opposing the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, Wells noted that:

The regulations imply that moral opposition to homosexual activity represents a failure to respect those who experience same-sex attraction when, in reality, it is perfectly possible to show respect for the dignity and worth of individuals who are attracted to another person of the same sex without wishing to give the appearance of condoning, approving or advocating homosexual practices.^[22]

Underlying this approach is the fact, according to Wells that ‘homosexual conduct goes against the created order’ - a strong clue to the religious basis of the Trust's vaues. Denying that this approach is homophobic Wells notes that this is because the 'fears' of many are 'entirely rational and not at all unreasonable.'^[22]

History

The original logo of the Family Education Trust and of its predecessor Family and Youth Concern. The logo is notable as an idealised representation of the nuclear family a representation which appears ethnically specific

The Trust was founded in 1971 ‘by the late Stanley Ellison, a London GP specialising in preventative medicine.’^[2]

After writing a letter to The Times, Ellison ‘was contacted by people who shared his concern that the breakdown of the traditional family could have long-lasting and serious consequences.’ Thus was the Responsible Society born. It later changed its name to Family and Youth Concern.

Ellison was concerned about the effects of the ‘permissive society’ and in particular what the Trust describes as ‘significant changes in both laws and social attitudes in such areas as divorce, having children outside of marriage, abortion and pornography.’^[2] The Trust claims that it is not ideological but rather ‘research-based’. ‘There is no area in social science in which the evidence stacks up so completely on one side’, it claims: ‘marriage and traditional family life are associated with good outcomes in terms of health, wealth and other indicators of well-being.’^[2]

The approach of the Trust pulls against the economic tenets of neoliberalism which promotes freedom in the market. It argues that ‘unfortunately, the view that people should be free to make their own choices, without having to accept any adverse consequences, dominates the public policy agenda.’ ^[2]

Other founding executives of the Responsible Society included Ronald Butt, Associate Editor of the Times; David Holbrook, , the humanist author and poet; and Graham Heath, a Quaker and General Secretary of the Youth Hostel Association. Patrons included Sir John Peel, the Queens Gynaecologist and Lord Shawcross. Graham Heath was succeeded as Honorary Secretary by Valerie Riches.^[23]

The title the 'Responsible Society' was changed, because it 'soon evoked mockery in the media'. According to Valerie Riches 'the title seemed to be distratcting from what we were saying' and it was changed to Family and Youth Concern.^[23]

Activities

The Trust produces ‘publications, newsletters, videos, submissions to public enquiries’ and acts as ‘a point of contact for the media’ as well as producing ‘material for use in schools, much of which can be downloaded free from our website ^[2]’ and acts ‘in defense of the traditional family’(sic). ^[2]

The Trust is pro-family, pro-marriage and makes strong pronouncements in both the press and on its website about the problems it believes originate from a ‘permissive society’, from sex before marriage, to cohabition, to the morning-after-pill.^[24] It argues that successive governments, including the Coalition, ‘continue to pursue policies that undermine and marginalise parents’.

Public policy has progressively undermined the ability of parents to care for their own children. Young people, including children under the legal age of consent to sexual intercourse, are being provided with contraceptives and then treated for the outcomes of sexual relationships by means of abortion and sexually transmitted disease clinics, without their parents ever having to be informed. ^[2]

Sex education campaigns

The Trust campaigns vigorously on the issue of sex education in schools, which it describes ‘an ideological battlefield on which a war is being waged for the hearts and minds of children’. It argues that ‘behind the innocuous sounding words of the sex education lobby, there is a definite agenda at work to undermine the role of parents and to tear down traditional moral standards’. ^[25] ^[26] In 2011 the Trust carried out a national survey, which it argued ‘reveals’ how UK’s Healthy Schools Programme ‘is being used as a vehicle to impose a liberal and permissive type of sex education on pupils in many parts of the country’.^[27]

The Trust advocates abstinence education as one solution, and in recent years has distributed leaflets to all secondary schools in England on the merits of saving sex for marriage, warning that sex before marriage is ‘ugly and destructive and will lead to misery and regret’. ^[28] It has also worked with and promotes the views of abstinence groups such as Challenge Teams, with whom it is a founder member of the Sex and Relationships Education Council, an umbrella body representing sex and relationship education providers launched in Parliament in May 2011.^[29]

Relations with other moral conservative groups

The Trust has personnel links with a range of other moral and religious organisations as noted above. Other links, relations or support include the Morality Forum which says it supports 'other moral groups such as Family and Youth Concern'. ^[30] According to press reports the Morality Forum is 'part of the Unification Church commonly known as the "Moonies"'.^[31]

Funding

The Trust says that it ‘is funded entirely by voluntary donations’, taking no ‘government funding, directly or indirectly.’ ^[2]

In the year ending 31 Dec 2010 the Trust had an income of £164,179 and expenditure of £88,607.

Charitable status

The Trust was first registered as a Charity (No.266382) on 11 October 1973. According to Charity Commission records, this was under the name of the Responsible Society Research and Education Trust, and then later as the Family Education Trust, which operated until 30 June 1999 when it 'ceased to exist'. The Trust's original charitable objectives were 'to carry out or promote research into the social, medical, economic and psychological consequences of sexual behaviour and to publish the results of such research'. ^[32]

In 1999 a 'new' charity called the Family Education Trust was registered with the Commission. (Charity no.1070500).Its founding principles included a second objective to the one outlined above. This was 'to establish, carry out and promote research into the family founded on marriage; and to publish and disseminate the information and data obtained therefrom.^[33]

By 2000 the Trust reportedly had over 2000 members. ^[34]

Grants issued

The Trust funded the research for a CIVITAS publication by Rebecca O'Neill in 2005 on 'Fiscal Policy and the Family: How the Family Fares in France, Germany and the UK'. It included a foreword by John Haskey.^[35]

People

Valerie Riches - Founder President and trustee, also served as Director until 2000 ^[36]
Norman Wells - Director
Irina Tyk

Trustees 2012

Arthur Cornell MEd, F.Coll.P (Chairman); Betty, Lady Grantchester; Dr John Guly MB BS DMJ; Eric Hester BA (Vice Chairman); Simon J Ling MA FCA (Hon Treasurer); Denis Riches BSc (Secretary); Valerie Riches (Founder President); Dr Trevor Stammers BSc FRCGP DRCOG, DPAB; Robert Whelan MA^[37]

Sponsors 2012

Professor John Bonnar MA MD FRCOG; The Viscountess Brentford OBE; Peter Dawson OBE BSc FRSA; The Baroness Elles; The Duke of Montrose; The Baroness O'Cathain OBE; Professor Dennis O'Keeffe ^[37]

Executive Committee Members circa 2011

Ann Allen, Sarah Carter, Anna Lines, Gillian White, Fiona Wyatt

Former staff

Robert Whelan served as FET's director from 2000 until 2004, and was a member of its Executive Committee for many years beforehand. In his outgoing director's report in 2004 Whelan said that his 'appointment as Director had been a serendipitous idea of Valerie Riches and had not been intended as a permanent one. He had enjoyed and valued the work which he had been able to combine with his work for Civitas to the benefit of both organisations. He praised the work of his former assistant, now Director, Norman Wells'. Whelan continues his association with FET as a trustee. ^[38]

Trustees circa 2010

Arthur Cornell MEd, F.Coll.P (Chairman); Betty, Lady Grantchester; Dr John Guly MB BS DMJ; Eric Hester BA (Vice Chairman); Simon J Ling MA FCA (Hon Treasurer); Denis Riches BSc (Secretary) - he passed away 2007, though remains on the website as a trustee; Valerie Riches(Founder President); Dr Trevor Stammers BSc FRCGP DRCOG, DPAB; Robert Whelan MA (former Director of FET, 2000-04)^[2]

Sponsors circa 2010

Professor John Bonnar MA MD FRCOG; The Viscountess Brentford OBE; Peter Dawson OBE BSc FRSA; Baroness Elles (sponsored FET from 1990 until her death in October 2009)^[39]; The Duke of Montrose; Baroness O'Cathain OBE; Professor Dennis O'Keeffe ^[2] Professor Brenda Almond (circa 2011) Michael McKenzie (circa 2011) ^[40]

Former sponsors pre-2010

Baroness Young ^[41]

Trustees circa 2005

Arthur Cornell MED, F.Coll.P; Betty, Lady Grantchester; Dr John Guly MB, BS, DMJ; Eric Hester BA; Simon J Ling MA FCA (Hon Treasurer); Denis Riches BSc (Secretary); Valerie Riches; Dr Trevor Stammers BSc, MRCGP, DRCOG, DPAB; Robert Whelan, MA Cantab^[42]

Sponsors circa 2005

Professor John Bonnar MA MD FRCOG; Peter Dawson OBE BSc FRSA; Baroness Elles of Westminster; Professor Dennis O'Keeffe MA PhD; Sir John Peel KCVO FRCS FRCP; J S Scott MD FRCS FRCOG^[42]

Affiliations

Coalition for Marriage - Norman Wells is a director
Sex and Relationships Education Council – the Trust is a founding member of this 'umbrella body representing sex and relationship education providers' launched in Parliament in May 2011. Other founding members are: evaluate, Lovewise, Challenge Teams, LIFE, Silver Ring Thing and Right to Life. ^[43]

Resources, Contact, Notes